Apartheid

== State security ==
[[File:8 SAI COIN operations northern KZN 1993.jpg|thumb|[[8 South African Infantry Battalion]] operatives in northern KwaZulu-Natal, 1993]]
During the 1980s the government, led by [[P.W. Botha]], became increasingly preoccupied with security. It set up a powerful [[State Security Council|state security apparatus]] to "protect" the state against an anticipated upsurge in [[political violence]] that the reforms were expected to trigger. The 1980s became a period of considerable political unrest, with the government becoming increasingly dominated by Botha's circle of generals and police chiefs (known as [[Counterintelligence state|securocrats]]), who managed the various States of Emergencies.<ref>Fox, William; Fourie, Marius; Van Wyk, Belinda (1998). ''Police Management in South Africa.'' Juta and Company Limited. p. 167.</ref>

Botha's years in power were marked also by numerous military interventions in the states bordering South Africa, as well as an extensive military and political campaign to eliminate [[SWAPO]] in Namibia. Within South Africa, meanwhile, vigorous police action and strict enforcement of security legislation resulted in hundreds of arrests and bans, and an effective end to the African National Congress' sabotage campaign.

The government punished political offenders brutally. 40,000 people annually were subjected to [[Flagellation|whipping]] as a form of punishment.<ref>Anzovin, Steven (1987). ''South Africa: apartheid and divestiture.'' H.W. Wilson Co. p. 80. {{ISBN|978-0-8242-0749-6}}.</ref> The vast majority had committed political offences and were lashed ten times for their crime.<ref>Foster, Don; Davis, Dennis (1987). ''Detention & torture in South Africa: psychological, legal & historical studies.'' Currey. p. 18. {{ISBN|978-0-85255-317-6}}.</ref> If convicted of treason, a person could be hanged, and the government executed numerous political offenders in this way.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/political-executions-south-africa-apartheid-government-1961-1989|title=Political executions in South Africa by the apartheid government 1961–1989|publisher=South African History Online|access-date=10 May 2017|archive-date=2 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502020338/http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/political-executions-south-africa-apartheid-government-1961-1989|url-status=live}}</ref>

As the 1980s progressed, more and more anti-apartheid organisations were formed and affiliated with the UDF. Led by the [[Reverend]] [[Allan Boesak]] and [[Albertina Sisulu]], the UDF called for the government to abandon its reforms and instead abolish the apartheid system and eliminate the homelands completely.

=== State of emergency ===
Serious political violence was a prominent feature from 1985 to 1989, as Black townships became the focus of the struggle between anti-apartheid organisations and the Botha government. Throughout the 1980s, township people resisted apartheid by acting against the local issues that faced their particular communities. The focus of much of this resistance was against the local authorities and their leaders, who were seen to be supporting the government. By 1985, it had become the ANC's aim to make Black townships "ungovernable" (a term later replaced by "people's power") by means of rent boycotts and other militant action. Numerous township councils were overthrown or collapsed, to be replaced by unofficial popular organisations, often led by militant youth. People's courts were set up, and residents accused of being government agents were dealt extreme and occasionally lethal punishments. Black town councillors and policemen, and sometimes their families, were attacked with petrol bombs, beaten, and murdered by [[necklacing]], where a burning tyre was placed around the victim's neck, after they were restrained by wrapping their wrists with barbed wire.

On 20 July 1985, Botha declared a [[State of Emergency]] in 36 magisterial districts. Areas affected were the [[Eastern Cape]], and the [[Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging|PWV]] region ("[[Pretoria]], [[Witwatersrand]], [[Vereeniging]]").<ref>Pomeroy, William J. (1986). ''Apartheid, imperialism, and African freedom.'' International Publishers. p. 226. {{ISBN|978-0-7178-0640-9}}.</ref> Three months later, the [[Western Cape]] was included. An increasing number of organisations were banned or listed (restricted in some way); many individuals had restrictions such as house arrest imposed on them. During this state of emergency, about 2,436 people were detained under the [[Internal Security Act, 1982|Internal Security Act]].<ref>Legum, Colin (1989). ''Africa contemporary record: annual survey and documents, Volume 20.'' Africana Pub. Co. p. 668.</ref> This act gave police and the military sweeping powers. The government could implement curfews controlling the movement of people. The president could [[rule by decree]] without referring to the constitution or to parliament. It became a criminal offence to threaten someone verbally or possess documents that the government perceived to be threatening, to advise anyone to stay away from work or to oppose the government, and to disclose the name of anyone arrested under the State of Emergency until the government released that name, with up to ten years' imprisonment for these offences. [[Indefinite detention|Detention without trial]] became a common feature of the government's reaction to growing civil unrest and by 1988, 30,000 people had been detained.<ref>McKendrick, Brian; Hoffmann, Wilman (1990). ''People and violence in South Africa.'' Oxford University Press. p. 62.</ref> The media was [[Censorship|censored]], thousands were arrested and many were [[Interrogation|interrogated]] and [[torture]]d.<ref>Blond, Rebecca; Fitzpatrick, Mary (2004). ''South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland.'' Lonely Planet. p. 40.</ref>

On 12 June 1986, four days before the tenth anniversary of the Soweto uprising, the state of emergency was extended to cover the whole country. The government amended the Public Security Act, including the right to declare "unrest" areas, allowing extraordinary measures to crush protests in these areas. Severe censorship of the press became a dominant tactic in the government's strategy and [[Professional video camera|television cameras]] were banned from entering such areas. The [[State media|state broadcaster]], the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]] (SABC), provided propaganda in support of the government. Media opposition to the system increased, supported by the growth of a pro-ANC [[underground press]] within South Africa.

In 1987, the State of Emergency was extended for another two years. Meanwhile, about 200,000 members of the [[National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa)|National Union of Mineworkers]] commenced the longest strike (three weeks) in South African history. The year 1988 saw the banning of the activities of the UDF and other anti-apartheid organisations.

Much of the violence in the late-1980s and early-1990s was directed at the government, but a substantial amount was between the residents themselves. Many died in violence between members of [[Inkatha Freedom Party|Inkatha]] and the UDF-ANC faction. It was later proven that the government manipulated the situation by supporting one side or the other whenever it suited them. Government agents assassinated opponents within South Africa and abroad; they undertook cross-border army and air-force attacks on suspected ANC and PAC bases. The ANC and the PAC in return detonated bombs at restaurants, shopping centres and government buildings such as [[Magistrates' court|magistrates courts]]. Between 1960 and 1994, according to statistics from the [[Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa)|Truth and Reconciliation Commission]], the [[Inkatha Freedom Party]] was responsible for 4,500 deaths, South African security forces were responsible for 2,700 deaths and the ANC was responsible for 1,300 deaths.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/report/finalreport/Volume5.pdf |title=Volume Five – Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report |access-date=15 December 2013 |archive-date=19 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119114845/http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/report/finalreport/Volume5.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The state of emergency continued until 1990 when it was lifted by State President [[F. W. de Klerk]].