1984 in South Africa
1984 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1984th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designations, the 984th year of the 2nd millennium, the 84th year of the 20th century, and the 5th year of the 1980s decade.
The Calendar of Earth Year 1984 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1984th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designations, the 984th year of the 2nd millennium, the 84th year of the 20th century, and the 5th year of the 1980s decade.
What happened on September 3 1984 in South Africa?
On September 3, 1984, police opened fire on black protesters in the township of Boipatong. In Sharpeville and Boipatong (as well as the Lekoa white township), police shot dead several protesters who were demonstrating against apartheid. The protests were organized by the United Democratic Front (UDF).
Sharpeville and Boipatong, as well as the Lekoa white township).
In the wake of these events, the UDF organized a series of protests in townships across the country. The largest took place on September 3, 1984, in Sebokeng and Sharpeville, two townships near Johannesburg. Police met with violent repression these protests and resulted in many deaths (including several police officers).
The protests against the ineffectiveness of the apartheid regime’s reformist policies and its continuing repression were organized by the
The United Democratic Front (UDF organized the protests against the ineffectiveness of the apartheid regime’s reformist policies and its continuing repression). The UDF was formed in 1983 as a non-racial coalition of over 400 anti-apartheid groups. It united Congresses of South African Trade Union (COSATU), which had been excluded from negotiations at Kabwe; with the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) and other popular formations such as The Black Sash and AZAPO.
This protest was also a reaction to the recent killings of two black youths in Sebokeng during police raids on local ANC offices there earlier that year.[1] In particular, the police killing of a black taxi driver in Sharpeville sparked it on 23 August 1984.[2][4][5]
Conclusion
The Soweto uprising was a turning point for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Until then, the country had remained isolated from international pressure, but after this event, it became increasingly difficult for Western governments to ignore what was happening behind the Iron Curtain. The United Nations and European countries imposed trade sanctions on South Africa and an arms embargo which severely damaged its economy until the end of apartheid in 1994.
