Total Onslaught, Total Strategy

• 4 Threats:

  • Internal Uprisings
  • Black population grew faster than white
  • 1/8 population white, 1980, to 1/5 1950
  • Despite influx control, over half blacks lived in towns
  • MK guerrilla sabotage attacks increased
  • Invasion
  • Angola and Mozambique white rule end '76, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) '80
  • No ‘Buffer states’
  • Hostile neighbours
  • Support ANC
  • MK Bases
  • USSR
  • Support Communists inside
  • Near Communist invasion risk; Angola
  • International Sanctions
  • Sport and art boycott
  • More sanctions pressure
  • Foreign business pressured to withdraw investments
• South Africa 1978:

  • PW Botha succeeded Vorster as PM 1978
  • Determined to maintain white rule in
  • Despite increasing threats from home and abroad
  • Called this ‘total onslaught’
  • Blamed communists (ensure western support)
  • Realised that he would need to reform apartheid, but with strong and aggressive control
  • Ironically, extreme white supremacists criticised him for concessions
• New Constitution 1983

  • Complicated new constitution drawn up for South Africa in 1983
  • Coloureds and Indians allowed to vote for their representatives in their parliaments
  • 178 places in white parliament
  • 85 in Coloured
  • 45 in Indian
  • Cabinet drawn proportionally from three Parliaments
  • Blacks excluded
  • Allowed to vote for local black assemblies
  • Had some responsibility for local affairs
  • Ultimately whites remained in control
  • Used constitution to pose as multiracial
  • Many people unhappy and did not bother voting
  • Blacks, Indians and Coloureds boycott new parliament and council elections
• Total Onslaught, Total Strategy

  • Total strategy was response to perceived ‘total onslaught’ threat
  • Total onslaught
  • Threat to SA + West
  • By USSR
  • Wanted SA mineral wealth (industrial powerhouse)
  • SA revolutionary forces supported + fuelled threat
  • 4 main strands:
  • Reform
  • Strengthening military/Police state
  • Military actions to neighbours (e.g. Angola)
  • Western Diplomacy
  • Purpose:
  • Win West support
  • Justify black repression
  • Justify neighbour destabilisation