The United Democratic Front (UDF) was a South African

popular front A popular front is "any coalition of working-class and middle-class parties", including liberal and social democratic ones, "united for the defense of democratic forms" against "a presumed Fascist assault". More generally, it is "a coalitio ...

that existed from 1983 to 1991. The UDF comprised more than 400 public organizations including

trade unions A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

students' unions A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social ...

, women's and parachurch organizations. The UDF's goal was to establish a "non-racial, united South Africa in which segregation is abolished and in which society is freed from institutional and systematic racism." Its slogan was "UDF Unites, Apartheid Divides." The Front was established in 1983 to oppose the introduction of the

Tricameral Parliament The Tricameral Parliament, officially the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, was the legislature of South Africa between 1984 and 1994, established by the South African Constitution of 1983, which gave a limited political voice to t ...

by the white-dominated National Party government, and dissolved in 1991 during the early stages of the

transition to democracy Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a full ...

Background

Involvement in

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

s, beginning in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

in 1973, helped create a strong, democratic political culture for black people in South Africa. Mass urban protest could also be traced to the student upsurge in

Soweto Soweto () is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western Townships''. Formerly a se ...

in 1976. 1982 brought the effects of a world

economic crisis An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the p ...

to South Africa, and the price of gold fell in 1985. The result of these things and other economic problems caused mass unemployment, especially for young black South Africans. The apartheid state wrote a new constitution in 1983 "in an attempt to allay criticism against apartheid and to set a new course." The new form of government created a

which allowed

Coloured Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. Sout ...

and

Asian South Africans Indian South Africans are South Africans who descend from indentured labourers and free migrants who arrived from British India during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The majority live in and around the city of Durban, making it one of th ...

"nominal representation." Black people were still not allowed to participate in the government. During a demonstration in Langa in 1984, police shot the participants which led to further insurrection. This led to a "black youth uprising" by 1985 in South Africa.

History

Formation

The plans for a new political organisation were introduced by Rev.

Allan Boesak Allan Aubrey Boesak (born 23 February 1946) is a South African Dutch Reformed Church cleric and politician and anti-apartheid activist. He was sentenced to prison for fraud in 1999 but was subsequently granted an official pardon and reinstated ...

at a conference of the Transvaal Anti-South African Indian Council Committee (TASC) on 23 January 1983. The part of his speech calling for a "united front" of "churches, civic associations, trade unions, student organizations, and sports bodies" was unplanned, but well received. He also called for black people to have full participation in the government. The UDF then formed regional committees, which established relationships with local organizations. The Natal UDF was launched first, in May, and then the Transvaal region (in June) and the

Cape Province The Province of the Cape of Good Hope ( af, Provinsie Kaap die Goeie Hoop), commonly referred to as the Cape Province ( af, Kaapprovinsie) and colloquially as The Cape ( af, Die Kaap), was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequen ...

(July). Representatives of the regions formed the Interim National Committee, which also included outside activists. At the end of July, the committee held a two-day meeting where they discussed a national launch date. Although most delegates wanted time to organise the regions before the national launch, they decided the best date was 20 August, the day the government planned to introduce the Tricameral Constitution. UDF sent out over 400,000 letters, flyers and brochures to advertise the launch of the group. The UDF's symbols – logo and slogan – were also selected at the meeting. Both the logo and slogan portray the widespread support the UDF hoped to achieve by incorporating a wide range of South Africans of all races. Some member organisations adapted the "UDF Unites, Apartheid Divides" slogan; for example, the Soweto Civic Association used "Soweto Civic Association Unites – Piet Koornhof Divides". On 20 August 1983 the UDF was launched in the Rocklands community hall,

Mitchell's Plain Mitchells Plain is a large township located within the City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa and situated about from the Cape Town city centre. It is one of South Africa's largest residential areas and contains multiple smaller su ...

, near

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second larges ...

. After a conference of delegates from 575 organisations, a public rally was held, attended by about 10,000 people.

Frank Chikane Frank Chikane (born 3 January 1951 in Bushbuckridge, Transvaal) is a South African civil servant, writer and cleric. He is a member of the African National Congress and moderator of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs for th ...

, the first major speaker, called the day "a turning point in the struggle for freedom."

Activities of UDF

The UDF and its affiliates promoted rent boycotts, school protests, worker stay-away and a boycott of the tricameral system. These activities took place in earnest after September 1984. In 1989, UDF sent delegates to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

to discuss what foreign countries could do to help end apartheid. Women in the delegation "were the ones that dictated the conversation," with

Albertina Sisulu Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu ( Thethiwe; 21 October 1918 – 2 June 2011) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, and the wife of fellow activist Walter Sisulu (1912–2003). She was affectionately known as "Ma Sisulu" throughout her li ...

conveying a strong message of nonviolence and compassion.

Banning and imprisonment

In 1986, President P. W. Botha prohibited the UDF from receiving foreign funds. The UDF was under a government ban as of February 1987 restricting its actions. In May 1987, a Natal provincial Supreme Court justice, John Didcott, ruled that the ban on the UDF's ability to receive foreign funding should be lifted. Foreign contributions made up more than half of the group's budget. By late 1987, the UDF had a majority of its activists imprisoned.

Treason Trials

On 19 February 1985, several UDF members, including

and

Cassim Saloojee This is a list of characters in ''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( '' The Arabian Nights''), the classic, medieval collection of Middle-Eastern folk tales. Characters in the frame story Scheherazade Scheherazade or Shahrazad ( fa, شهرزاد ...

were arrested on high treason warrants. The UDF was accused of being a "shadow organization for the African National Congress." In November 1988, eight of those accused of treason were acquitted of all charges, while four activists were found guilty of terrorism. The judge also ruled that the UDF was a "'revolutionary organization.' that incited violence in black townships in 1984 in a bid to render South Africa ungovernable." The convictions were overturned by the Appeal Court in

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape ...

in 1989, releasing five activists, including

Popo Molefe Popo Simon Molefe (born 26 April 1952 in Sophiatown, Johannesburg) is a businessman and former politician from South Africa. Early life One of eight children, Molefe was the son of a laborer and a domestic worker, though he was raised largely by ...

Disbanding

When the ANC, the

South African Communist Party The South African Communist Party (SACP) is a communist party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), tactically dissolved itself in 1950 in the face of being declared illegal by the governing Na ...

(SACP), the

Pan Africanist Congress The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (known as the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)) is a South African national liberation Pan-Africanist movement that is now a political party. It was founded by an Africanist group, led by Robert Sobukwe, that ...

(PAC) and other organizations were unbanned in February 1990, the UDF faced a change and "it became clear that the need for the UDF no longer existed." In March 1991, the decision to disband was made and the UDF held its last meeting on 14 August 1991 in Johannesburg.

Organisational structure

The UDF was an umbrella organisation that had a "federal structure" and a decentralized method of employing tactics. By 1986, there were 700 different organizations working under the umbrella which were often youth movements, community organizations, unions, professional societies and churches. Eventually there would be nearly "1,000 affiliated groups." UDF embraced a philosophy of "

African nationalism African nationalism is an umbrella term which refers to a group of political ideologies in sub-Saharan Africa, which are based on the idea of national self-determination and the creation of nation states.socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

and

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...

." The common goal of ending apartheid and systematic racism allowed different types of groups to work together. Any type of organization, regardless of race, sex or religion was welcome as long as they promoted an end to apartheid. UDF helped many of the smaller organizations have access to a source of funding. The leadership structure included a National Executive Committee (NEC) at the top level which had three presidents, secretaries, a treasurer and representatives of the various regions. Despite the NEC leadership, much of the "momentum for action came from the bottom levels of the organisation and from its youngest members." Because members of UDF faced frequent arrests due to their activities, the leaders were "cautious and secretive."

UDF Women's Congress

Feminists Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

involved in the UDF felt that the organization was not seriously promoting issues relating to women and that women "had a second-class status within the organization." The Women's Congress was formed on 23 April 1987 and included women's organizations affiliated with the UDF. Organizations, such as the

Natal Organisation of Women The Natal Organisation of Women (NOW) was a regional women's organization in South Africa in the Natal area. NOW was founded in 1983 and affiliated with the United Democratic Front (UDF). NOW included women from all ages, class and races. NOW's val ...

(NOW), the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW), Port Elizabeth Women's Organisation,

Port Alfred Women's Organisation A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...

and the Gompo Women's Congress sent delegates to that first meeting. During the first meeting, the delegates created a list of issues and problems facing women involved in the UDF which included an absence of women in leadership roles and "UDF's failure to address issues of gender discrimination, and sexual harassment within the organization." Delegates elected

to the national council for the UDF Women's Congress. In 1988, women were heavily involved in the mine worker's strike. Mostly working-class women protested the mining management's support of the government and at the rally, presented a petition. Some women attended "carrying babies on their backs." Critics of the UDF Women's Congress believed that focusing on women's issues "had the potential to weaken the overall liberation struggle." Others disagreed, stating that "our struggle from freedom can only be won if men and women fight side by side."

Relationship with the ANC

Early in its life, the UDF adopted the

Freedom Charter The Freedom Charter was the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies: the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democra ...

, a statement of the aims for a free South Africa and basis for a democratic constitution. At first, the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

(ANC) did not welcome UDF's involvement. Throughout its existence, the UDF demanded the release of imprisoned ANC leaders, as well as other

political prisoners A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although nu ...

. In 1985, the UDF announced at a rally of 2,500 people, their campaign to see the release of

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the ...

. However, the UDF was never formally attached to the ANC, and did not participate in the armed struggle. The UDF did not want to be associated with violent tactics or acts of sabotage against the government. In addition, the ANC over time, "showed an increasing intolerance for the values upheld by the UDF."

Relationship with the Black Consciousness Movement

The

Black Consciousness Movement The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Afr ...

disagreed with the UDF on the issue of whether whites should be welcomed into the struggle against apartheid. The Black Consciousness movement was based on the principle that the liberation struggle should be led by black people, whereas the UDF welcomed anyone who shared their goals and was willing to commit to them in struggle.

Relationship with the Progressive Federal Party (PFP)

The

Progressive Federal Party The Progressive Federal Party (PFP) ( af, Progressiewe Federale Party) was a South African political party formed in 1977 through merger of the Progressive and Reform parties, eventually changing its name to the Progressive Federal Party. For it ...

had vigorously opposed the introduction of the tricameral system (in the referendum), but once introduced continued as the official opposition in the "White" Assembly. "Let us voice strong opposition and offer vigorous resistance both within and without the system that excludes Blacks and continues to imprison

" argued

Helen Suzman Helen Suzman, OMSG, DBE (née Gavronsky; 7 November 1917 – 1 January 2009) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. She represented a series of liberal and centre-left opposition parties during her 36-year tenure in th ...

, speaking at the Cape Town Conference of the PFP National Youth in 1984. At the same conference, a resolution was passed endorsing and supporting the recent establishment of the United Democratic Front and offer ' back office financial assistance". This support sponsored by

Gordon Waddell Gordon Herbert Waddell (12 April 1937 – 13 August 2012, born Glasgow, died London, was a Scottish rugby union player, a South African politician, and the son of Herbert Waddell. He played for , the Barbarians and on two British and Irish Lion ...

and

Harry Oppenheimer Harry Frederick Oppenheimer (28 October 1908 – 19 August 2000) was a prominent South African businessman, industrialist and philanthropist. Oppenheimer was often ranked as one of the wealthiest people in the world, and was considered South A ...

through the Western Province Regional PFP Youth Committee led by Stephen Drus ( Stephen Darori)

Mass Democratic Movement (MDM)

In 1989, the UDF and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (

COSATU The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the largest of the country's three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions.One Union expelled, ...

) began cooperating more closely in a loose alliance called the Mass Democratic Movement, following restrictions on the UDF and COSATU by the apartheid government. The apartheid government described the MDM as a UDF/Cosatu/

SACP The South African Communist Party (SACP) is a communist party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), tactically dissolved itself in 1950 in the face of being declared illegal by the governing Na ...

alliance, although this was disputed by the MDM at the time. The loose nature of the MDM made it difficult for the apartheid government to ban, and the MDM has been described as having been "the UDF in another guise".

Notable members

* Moses Chikane *

Cheryl Carolus Cheryl Carolus (born 27 May 1958) is a South African politician. She was born in Silvertown, on the Cape Flats, Cape Town. Carolus became involved in politics while still at school and became an activist after joining the United Democratic Fr ...

Murphy Morobe Murphy Morobe (born 2 October 1956) is a historical figure from South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. He started school in Ermelo. Morobe completed Primary School in Soweto and then went to Orlando North Secondary School and Morris Isaacs ...

* Mohammed Valli Moosa *

Joe Gqabi Joe Nzingo Gqabi (6 April 1929 – 31 July 1981) was a South African African National Congress activist, who was the ANC's chief representative in Zimbabwe at the time of his assassination by South African Defence Force in Ashdown Park, Harare ( ...

Frances Baard Frances Goitsemang Baard (1 October 1909 – 1997) was a South African (ethnic Tswana) trade unionist, organiser for the African National Congress Women's League and a Patron of the United Democratic Front, who was commemorated in the renaming ...

* Farid Esack *

Jeremy Cronin Jeremy Patrick Cronin (born 12 September 1949) is a South African writer, author, and noted poet. A longtime activist in politics, Cronin is a member of the South African Communist Party and a former member of the National Executive Committee of ...

* Andrew Boraine * Archie Gumede *

Matthew Goniwe Matthew Goniwe (27 December 1947 – 27 June 1985) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and one of The Cradock Four murdered by the South African police in 1985. Early years Goniwe was the youngest of eight children. His parents, David ...

Mkhuseli Jack Mkhuseli "Khusta" Jack (born 31 May 1958) was a South African Anti-Apartheid activist in the 1980s, known for his involvement in the Anti-Apartheid struggle and his efforts in the Consumer Boycott Campaign. Currently he is a businessman in Port E ...

Helen Joseph Helen Beatrice Joseph (''née'' Fennell) (8 April 1905 – 25 December 1992) was a South African anti-apartheid activist. Born in Sussex, England, Helen graduated with a degree in English from the University of London in 1927 and then departed ...

Mosiuoa Lekota Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota (born 13 August 1948) is a South African politician, who currently serves as the President and Leader of the Congress of the People since 16 December 2008. Previously as a member of the African National Congress, ...

* Yunus Mohamed *

Trevor Manuel Trevor Andrew Manuel (born 31 January 1956) is a South African politician who served in the government of South Africa as Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2009, during the presidencies of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, an ...

* Oscar Mpetha *

Victoria Mxenge Victoria Nonyamezelo Mxenge (1 January 1942, in King William's Town, Eastern Cape – 1 August 1985, in Umlazi, Durban, Natal) was a South African anti-apartheid activist; she was trained as a nurse and midwife, and later began practising law. ...

Sister Bernard Ncube Sister Mary Bernard Ncube (; 9 March 1935 – August 31, 2012) was a South African religious sister and anti-apartheid activist. As a religious sister, she often faced criticism from the church over her politics, including her stance on abort ...

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane (born 30 September 1963) is a South African politician who is the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. She was Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform from 2018 to 2019, and previously serve ...

Gugile Nkwinti Gugile Ernest Nkwinti (born 18 December 1946) is a South African politician, previously serving in the Cabinet of South Africa as the Minister of Water and Sanitation and before as the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. Education a ...

References

Citations

Sources

* * * Hemson, David (1996
For sure you are going to die! Political participation and the comrade movement in Inanda, Kwazulu‐Natal
* Neocosmos, Michael (2007
Civil society, citizenship and the politics of the (im)possible: rethinking militancy in Africa today
* * * * *

External links

Online Archives
UDF Virtual Exhibition South Africa: Overcoming Apartheid, Building Democracy: A curricular resource for schools and colleges on the struggle to overcome apartheid and build democracy in South Africa, with seven streamed interviews with South Africans in the struggle in UDF, plus many historical documents, photographs, and educational activities for teachers & students.

Community Video Education Trust: a digital archive of 90 hours of videos taken in South Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This raw footage documents anti-apartheid demonstrations, speeches, mass funerals, celebrations, and interviews with activists that capture the activism of trade unions, students and political organizations, including 40 segments on the activities of the United Democratic Front.
{{Political history of South Africa , state=expanded Anti-Apartheid organisations Defunct civic and political organisations in South Africa National liberation movements in Africa Organisations associated with apartheid Popular fronts