Apartheid

=== 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]].