With so many prolific leaders and large-scale anti-apartheid political groups in action within the country, it begs the question as to why the apartheid regime did not collapse at least a decade earlier than it did. One of the reasons is attributed to the fact that there was a lack of centralised and combined ideology and action despite the rise of black violence and belief in their cause. Disagreements existed between the ANC and their ally the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) (Callinicos, 1994). The UDF came into existence in 1983 and was an important political party as it was multi-racial (Louw, 2004). Its aims were to unite all non-white resistance groups, and have a stable future under the Freedom Charter it shared with the ANC. Its leaders were people like Archbishop Tutu, Albertina Sisulu, and Winnie Mandela. The IFP on the other hand, run by Mangosuthu Buthelezi advocated the use of nonviolence (Callinicos, 1994) and as such were constantly at odds with the ANC which opened Umkhonto we Sizwe, the specific armed forces aspect of the party (South Africa History Online, 1991). The South African police and other supporters of apartheid relished this internal fighting of the resistance groups as it made the black community appear as if they were not ready to rule the country. Supporters of apartheid stated that the blacks were too violent and not willing to accept other people's views, which is needed if everyone is to live freely in a democratic society. Despite the disagreements which allowed apartheid to continue, the combined effort of large scale demonstrations undertaken by these anti-apartheid groups would serve as a catalyst for international support for the black cause and condemnation against the South African government
The decline in power of the Soviet Union as a result of the decay of the Cold War played an integral part in dismantling the apartheid regime. The lack of international exposure and outcry regarding apartheid was largely based upon the need of the western world, namely the U.S for capitalistic gain. As such the relationship between the Cold War and the downfall of Apartheid was the fact that apartheid was only allowed to continue due to the Cold War (US Department of State, 2001). America viewed South Africa as the stronghold of economic wealth and strength within Africa and as such did not want to jeopardize its control over the trade and shipping routes, with it falling under Soviet communist rule. Thus successful international involvement and support in dismantling apartheid was not achieved until the decline of the Soviet Union. The decline of Soviet power also coincided and likely affected the rapid trend of other African nations move toward a democratic and self-determining society. The Western countries no longer feared the influence of Communism on developing African governments and therefore a period of decolonisation within Africa occurred. The fact that countries surrounding South Africa were becoming independent was a poignant factor as it helped make the South African government more vulnerable. By 1980, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Zambia had all become independent and were now hostile towards South Africa and its oppressive measures against the black community (Clark & Worger, 2004). This breakdown in alliance between South Africa and its neighbouring countries meant that South Africa was no longer able to dictate and retain its economic 'strangle hold' on the other nations. In addition the goods such as gold, diamonds and other minerals, which South Africa supplied to the rest of the world were instead produced by the neighbouring independent nations (Clark & Worger, 2004). This meant that the international countries were still able to receive the majority of the products which they usually would have received while still able to enact economic sanctions upon the apartheid regime.
International intervention was received at the earliest known date in 1962 by the United Nations which invoked trading boycotts with the intent of trying to get the government to reverse the policy of Apartheid. This was the first step that the international countries took to try and make an end of Apartheid. However trading boycotts proved to be ineffective with the country’s wealth of diamond and gold. The boycotts initiated by the UN in 1962 were in response to the massacre in Sharpeville which occurred in 1960 (BBC World Service, 2014). The importance of this event within the context of the demise of apartheid isn’t the death and injured toll but rather the marking of a turning point in the South African history. The event canon balled the apartheid regime onto centre stage on an international level and became the beginning of the country’s increasing isolation from the international community. South Africa was also facing anti-apartheid governments in other nations. The Swedish government, who were strongly opposed to apartheid, supported and donated money to groups within South Africa against apartheid. The British Anti-Apartheid Movement however, instead of donating money, demonstrated their disapproval through sanctions on the sporting competitions between Britain and South Africa (Keech, Houlihan, 1999). They banned South Africa from the 1964 Olympics and stopped cricket and rugby matches between the nations. Investment was another potent casualty suffered as a result of the economic sanction. Many western businesses notably Coca-Cola, began to pull out from the South African markets as they became hesitant on the amount of their profits. Foreign banks such as the Barclays Bank based in South Africa declined to extend loans and began to pull out of the country, heavily affecting the economy (Hirsch, 1989). The trade embargoes also greatly affected the economy as South Africa was not getting any of the vital supplies which they needed and the excess products which they made were going to waste as their primary consumers (western countries) refused to buy these products. Therefore, South African companies had no money with which to pay their workers causing an increase of black unemployment and poverty and a decrease in white incomes as well as a raise in their taxes. Consequently, protests began in South Africa. The financial crisis in 1985 was a direct cause of these imposed sanctions (Hirsch, 1989). The crisis initiated the drop of the Rand and sent the government to declare a state of emergency (Hirsch, 1989). Such an increase in international condemnation and internal demonstrations created an anarchic society thereby forcing the population to believe that it was time for change in South Africa.
As evidenced above, the importance of international support and intervention cannot be understated. The boycotts and economic sanctions imposed against the apartheid regime can be seen to be more of an influential force that finally triggered wholesale changes to occur within the country. Yet the most decisive factor behind the fall of apartheid was the opposition within the country from black movements. Their protest and other demonstrations, which at times ended with hundreds dead and thousands more injured, drastically eroded the regime and created doubts within the white faction about their system. Intrinsically the efforts by anti-apartheid groups within the country was a double-edged sword that forced the western world to take notice and intervene.
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