What problems did the NP face within SA 1974-83?

• Late 70's were a tricky time for NP as the economic boom of the 60's was followed by the oil crisis in 1973 
• Party also faced continuing opposition and internal divisions 

Trade Unions: 

• Black workers made up the majority of gold and uranium miners as well as coal which was SA's main export 
• There were many white households who had domestic servants (1.5 mil farms and 1.6 in industry) 
• This meant that when black workers went on strike, it could hurt white people 
• Examples of strikes: Black workers at PUTCO ( a bus company between townships to workplaces) in 1971. Migrant workers in a brick factory near Durban in 1973 - spread to 150 other factories in the area. 
• These strikes triggered former unionists from the 60's to build new unions. 
• They focused on wages and conditions - not a wider political rhetoric. 
• Examples of unions: Sweet, Food and Allied Workers Union - KwaZulu-Natal (big for sugar)

• Winnie Mandela big figure 
• COSAS (Congress of South African Students) launched in 1979 to coordinate school protests
• Leader of COSAS = Eprahim Mogale 
• He pushed COSAS to commit to the Freedom Charter (Charterists = in support of FC) 
• 1980 - Sunday Post launched the 'Free Nelson Mandela' campaign
• Lots of civic organisations on a local level in townships. They were fighting against rent increases, poor education and forced removal in rural areas etc.... 
• SAAWU (South African Allied Workers Union) went on strike at Rowntrees sweet factory in Durban 
• They openly declared support of FC and recruited Mk members in secret 

• In 1953, the Liberal party was established 
• In 1959, some of the more liberal members of the United Party (NP's biggest opposition) split away from the UP and formed the 'Progressive Party'
• PP = opposed to apartheid --> morally wrong but also it was damaging the economy as needed more skilled black workers 
• In 1974, they had 7 seats 
• 1978 - The UP splintered again - Progressive Federal Party 
• PFP became NP's main opposition in parliament 
• Had a charismatic leader (Frederik Slabbert) 
• He tried to reach out to black leaders (e.g. Buthelezi) --> too liberal for most whites

• Vorster (and later Botha) put a lot of money into the bantustan policy 
• There were 4 B's that accepted their independence
• Gov wanted to see them as independent countries  
• Lots of money needed for it to work though, usually wasted on forced relocation and bureaucracies etc...
• Some positives: 50% of the budget went to education, health, roads etc...
• Buthelezi (homeland leader in KwaZulu) refused to accept independence 
• New homeland unis were set up (Turfloop and Fort Hare) and were key centres for political dissidence - key places for Mk recruitment 
• They hated the homelands that had accepted independence as often the leaders gained personal financial benefits --> benefiting off apartheid   

• Vorster was in power from 1966-78
• He had always won quite comfortably 
• In the 70's however, two groups within the National Party were starting to emerge. 
• 1) The Verligte (more liberal) 
• 2) Verkrampte (more conservative) 
• After the Soweto Uprising, the Cape Nationalist paper said that black urbanisation was inevitable - some whites said that the lack of skilled black workers was holding them back in business 
• The Verligtes said that if there were better training and recognition for black trade unions, then the SA economy would benefit
• Vorster sided with the Verkrampte  
• He also wanted a conservative successor and so gave secret money to Mulder to run a propaganda campaign to ensure his win. 

Information Scandal: 

• Was found that Mulder's funds were corrupt and when everyone found out, people couldn't ignore it. He still ran against Botha and tried to deny involvement 

• There was a recession in the mid-1970's due to the global oil crisis in 1973 
• SA badly affected as they imported all of their oil 
• Nationalists set up a state-owned company called SASOL to get oil from coal - had about 1/3 of all oil this way by 1980's, but other 2/3's very expensive 
• A rise in the price of gold helped but industry stopped growing as skilled white workers were too expensive and black workers restricted by lack of training etc... 
• Population was also increasing (whites from 3-5 million, Africans 11-29mil) 
• 80% of SA was rural land and many black workers lived there. However the growing farm sizes, greater efficiency and mechanisation reduced the need for workers.

• Botha wasn't a strong verligte but was committed to the need for reform 
• His aim was to keep apartheid and use repression when necessary 
• Wanted to reform the economy and constitution 
• Botha's rule (1978-89) coincided with Reagan's (1979-90) and Thatchers (79-90) 
• This meant international pressure on SA was far less as both conservative and anti-comm
• NP was dependant on helping poor white people as living standards for white people had increased under apartheid. Felt could give some concessions. 
• Recognised trade unions - De Lang commission (1981) suggested gradually spending more money on black education 
• Softened the language of race - continued to promote homeland policy but knew African Urbanisation was irreversible and that the whites should create opportunities for the Black Urban Elite --> Black Urban councils 
• National Football League deracialised --> Ideologically significant 
• Constitutional changes in 1984: more power to executive and president (Botha president not PM) and less to parliament --> easier for minorities to get positions of power 
• Tricameral parliment est (Indian, White and Coloured) --> Symbolic shift 
• Triggered a split of verkamptes into a new conservative party - NP's new biggest opposition