African National Congress (ANC)

Currently the leading party within South Africa, this political party formed back in the year 1911.  Pixley ka Isaka Seme was quoted as saying “We are one people. These divisions, these jealousies, are the cause of all our woes today.”  It was this quote that set off the events, which would lead off to the creation of the African National Congress, whose main goal is to eliminate racial inequalities and unify Africa in to a united people and defend the rights and freedoms of the people.  The official formation of the ANC occurred in January 8th 1912, occurred when many prominent figures, such as chiefs and representatives of churches and people’s organizations, gathered in Bloemfontein to created the ANC.  In 1944, the ANC youth league was formed, of which Nelson Mandela was a member. 

This youth group came up with a Program of Action, which called for defiance, strikes, and boycotts of the government systems.  This program was later adopted by the ANC in 1949, and began the Defiance Campaign in 1950.  This campaign had people acting against the segregation by doing acts such as blatantly walking into “Europeans Only” zones and demanding to be serviced at locations specified as “Whites Only.”  Following the Sharpville massacre on March 30^th 1960, the ANC was banned.  This does not mean that they gave up here though.  In 1961, they began to take up arms against the government. Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was formed under the ANC to "hit back by all means within our power in defence of our people, our future and our freedom."  In only 18 months, the MK managed to commit 200 separate acts of sabotage, but this was still not enough against the government, who just reacted with even harsher methods of repression.  In 1963, the secret headquarters of the MK was raided, where the leaders were arrested.  At the Rivonia Trial, these leaders were then charged with attempting to cause a violent revolution.  By February 1990, the government was forced to unban the ANC as well as other organizations, which showed that they may finally be willing to try and peacefully solve the issues in South Africa through negotiations.  Nelson Mandela was elected President of the National Congress of the ANC in 1991, and eventually president of the country in the first free elections in the country in 1994.  The ANC remains the leading political party in South Africa.  But the ANC is still not a perfect group, as issues still exist within the country.  One of these being the “No land, no house, no vote” policy.  This policy prohibits anybody who does not own land from voting in the free elections, under the pretense that they must not be educated enough to do so.  Many of the homeless of South Africa rally against this policy, but to no avail.  So while they may lead the country, there is always work to do.