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QUESTION 4: ESSAY
THE BLACK CONCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT
The Black Power Movement was a movement started by Steve Biko which urged
black people to free themselves from the chains of oppression. It emerged after
the banning of the ANC, PAC and other liberation movements and the imprisonment
of the struggle leaders. it categorised Africans, Coloureds and Indians as Blacks
as they were on the receiving end of apartheid. They should work together towards
liberation. Biko was inspired by USA’s activists Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm
X. The ideas of BCM were put forward through journals such as “Black Voice”,
“Creativity and Development and Black Review”.
Black Consciousness had the following aims: BCM should empower black people
to have pride in themselves, their value systems, culture, religion and outlook
in life; Restore pride and dignity to black people; Encourage them to do away
with the submissive attitude; Backs should stop considering themselves as
second class citizens; and help black people follow African norms other than
white norms.
Black Consciousness was at first perceived by the government as in accord with
apartheid theories of own affairs The apartheid government at first welcomed the
ideas of BCM. BCM seemed to support the policies of apartheid and separate
development’. The government even backed Afrikaans publications that praised this
new movement This was short-lived when the government realised what BCM really
entailed, and that was the end of white domination. In reality the aim of BCM was to
unite black people in South Africa.
The ideas of Black Consciousness posed serious challenges to the state. BCM
started attacking what they saw as traditional white values. Its aim was to reject
white monopoly within SA. The movement conscientised black thought processes
using slogans like “Black man you are on your own. Committees began relentless
campaign against the apartheid government.
Steve Biko played a big role in the Black Consciousness Movement. He joined
NUSAS comprising of all races. Biko was frustrated by racism in NUSAS where
white students in leadership were many. Steve Biko left NUSAS and joined by
Barney Pityana formed the South African Students Organisation at Turfloop.
Biko was elected the first president of SASO in 1969. Biko cherished ideas where
black people would stand together for their liberation. His slogan was ‘Black is
beautiful – be black and proud.
Biko helped found the Black Community Programmes. BCP focused on self-help
community programmes such as the Zanempilo Community Health Centre run by
Dr Mamphela Ramphele. He was against the history that painted black heroes as
villains. Biko believed that black people should rewrite their history to include African
heroes and people.
The Black Peoples Convention was launched to include the broader community in
the struggle against Apartheid as SASO was confined to students. BPC called for all
political activists outside political affiliations to band together and fight for equality for
all.
The apartheid government reacted by banning publication and circulation of BCM
material. It detained Steve Biko, Barney Pityana and others under the Terrorism
Act. The government stopped the social development programmes. Abraham Timol
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another fiery leader was killed by a parcel bomb in Botswana in 1974. Mthuli
Shezi was thrown before a moving train by protecting black women who were
abused by a white worker Van zyl.
Around 200 students were killed on the 16th of June 1976 around Soweto when they
marched against the enforcement of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. By
1976, 123 key members were banned and confined to remote rural areas. Dr
Mampele Ramphele was banned to a remote village in Limpopo. Steve Biko was
killed in police custody.
The 1976 Soweto Uprising was triggered by Apartheid government’s introduction of
the Bantu Education Act of 1953.There are speculations that the students were
influenced by BCM thinking. The overcrowding and lack of facilities as well
caused lots of dissatisfaction. Making Afrikaans compulsory as the medium of
instruction in schools in 1974 alongside English caused black students to start
mobilizing themselves. Afrikaans was viewed as the language of their oppressors.
The government spent more on white learners than blacks: R644 was allocated for
one white child annually to R42 for a black child. The language issue was
unwelcomed by many black teachers who were not fluent in Afrikaans.
SASM (South African Student Movement) formed an action committee on 13 June
1976 later named Soweto Student Representative Council to plan a protest
against the language issue. The plan was to embark on a peaceful march. The police
fired teargas and live ammunition at the protesters. A 15-year-old Hastings Ndlovhu
was the first to be killed. 12-year-old Hector Pietersen was killed. Students
retaliated by burning and looting beerhalls. After months of violence the riots spread
to different places. Over 700 black people had died and around 6000 arrested.
It is argued that the influence of BCM contributed largely to the determination of
students in revolting against apartheid as evident in the prolonged strike. The
government conceded that BCM teachings had had a huge influence on the June 16
Soweto revolts.
BCM left an enormous legacy. It called for resistance to any kind of oppression on
black South Africans. It stressed economic self-reliance and a return to African
culture and values. The BPC engaged on welfare and self-help programmes and
focused on black community development. It redefined the term black to include all
people of colour who were at the blunt end of oppression.
BCM fought for psychological transformation of the minds of the black people. By
some it was viewed as a racist movement. The ANC and to a lesser extent the PAC
grew in influence again showing that BCM was more important during a period of
little hope and extreme racism. However, BCM provided a positive alternative for
black people. It not only condemned apartheid, it provided a path on how to replace
it.
