By Elimu Assistant Team 
Key South African Nationalists and the Liberation Struggle
Prominent Nationalist Leaders
Nelson Mandela
Role: First black President of South Africa, ANC leader
Known for: 27 years imprisonment, anti-apartheid activism, reconciliation
Nelson Mandela was born Rolihlahla Mandela on 18 July 1918 into the Thembu royal family in Mvezo, South Africa. He studied law and became one of the foremost anti-apartheid activists in South Africa. As leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the ANC, he was imprisoned for 27 years before being released in 1990. He negotiated an end to apartheid and became South Africa’s first black president in 1994, focusing on reconciliation and nation-building.
Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe
Role: Founder and first president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)
Known for: Anti-pass law protests, “Sobukwe Clause”
Robert Sobukwe was a prominent South African political dissident who taught at the University of the Witwatersrand. He became disillusioned with the African National Congress and founded the Pan Africanist Congress in 1959. He led the famous anti-pass law protest in 1960 that resulted in the Sharpeville Massacre. Sobukwe was imprisoned for three years and then held in solitary confinement for six more years under the specially enacted “Sobukwe Clause.”
Albert Luthuli
Role: President of the African National Congress (ANC)
Known for: Nobel Peace Prize winner, non-violent resistance
Albert John Luthuli was a South African teacher, activist, and politician. He was elected president of the African National Congress in 1952 and served until his death in 1967. Luthuli was awarded the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the non-violent struggle against apartheid. He was the first African to receive this prestigious award. Despite government restrictions, he continued to advocate for non-violent protest against racial discrimination.
Methods Used in the Liberation Struggle
- ✊ Armed resistance and guerrilla warfare through groups like Umkhonto we Sizwe
- 📢 Mass media campaigns to articulate grievances and mobilize international support
- 🎓 Student protests like the 1976 Soweto uprising against Afrikaans medium instruction
- ✍️ Defiance campaigns and civil disobedience against apartheid laws
- 💣 Sabotage of strategic economic and government installations
- 🕊️ International diplomacy and lobbying for sanctions against the apartheid regime
- 📜 Creation of documents like the Freedom Charter proclaiming a vision for equality
- 🏛️ Formation of political organizations like ANC, PAC, and UDF
- 🚫 Labor strikes and economic boycotts to pressure the government
Problems Encountered by Nationalists
- 🚫 Banning of political organizations and restrictions on activities
- 🔒 Harassment, arrest, and detention of activists
- 🏃 Forced exile of leaders and members
- 💀 State violence including massacres like Sharpeville and Soweto
- 🎯 Divide and rule tactics through creation of Bantustans
- ⚖️ Emergency powers used to suppress dissent
- 💰 Lack of financial resources to sustain the struggle
- 📵 Denial of access to media and propaganda against nationalists
- 🚷 Movement restrictions through pass laws
Test Your Knowledge: South African Liberation Struggle
1. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for years.
2. The Sharpeville Massacre occurred during a protest against .
3. Which organization did Robert Sobukwe found?
4. Albert Luthuli was awarded the in 1960.
5. The armed wing of ANC was called .
6. The Soweto Uprising in 1976 was primarily against .
7. Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk jointly won the .
8. The Freedom Charter was adopted in .
9. Which strategy was NOT used by the liberation movement?
10. The Bantustan system was designed to .
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