sanctions

• The biggest round of sanctions came in the wake of Soweto Uprising
• in 1983 the European economic community (ecc) and the common wealth passes limited sanctions
• in 1986 in the wake of the Rubicon speech, the EEC banned imports of South African iron and steel, but stopped short at coal,gold,and diamonds
• The US comprehensive anti-apartheid act (CAAA) restricted lending and banned imports of South Africa iron,steel,coal,uranium,textiles,and agricultural goods.
• however strategic materials were exempt from the CAAA restrictions such as diamonds, and gold were exempt
• Private companies were often pressured by their customer base to disinvest in South Africa
• Quoting both Apartheid and commercial decisions in 1986, Barclays bank from Britain and General Motors from USA pulled investment in South Africa
• Sanctions and disinvestment affected the value of the Rand.It cost the economy 0.5% of the GDP
• How were sanctions unsuccessful?


  Limited impact

  • strenghtend Gov resolve- laager mentality,Repression intensified(states of emergency-2-1985&86)
  • whites often benefitted from the fire sale disinvestment and blacks were often hurt by loss of jobs
  • Gold main export not sanctioned
  • SA worked with countries that were willing such as israel
• How were sanctions successful?

  Signal

  • strong signal that SA was isolated by the international community
  • Increased instability economically- Gov had to close the stock exchange due to low value in rand 1985,it was also in undeclared civil war-no stability for businesses to invest
  • Bishop tutu and Mandela supported the boycotts(prominent figures)
• South Africa was suspended from the 1964 Olympic Games and formally excluded in 1970
• The Gleneagles Agreement -1977 passed by the commonwealth which forbade members from competing against South africa in any sporting activities