The Road to Democracy in South Africa

Book excerpt: In South Africa, the decade of 1980–1990 not only saw the mobilisation of the popular masses, but also the marked escalation of the armed struggle inside the country, initiated and waged by the African National Congress (ANC). The liberation movement, headed by the ANC-led Congress Alliance, took major strides which finally broke the backbone of white supremacist rule. This book examines and analyses the events leading to the settlement of democracy in South Africa during this period. Amongst other topics, the subject matter of this book also includes a discussion of – The apartheid regime ANC underground, armed actions and popular resistance Liberation struggle in the 1980s in the Eastern Cape Bophuthatswana and the role of the UDF in the Western Transvaal Trade Unionism Print editions not for sale in Sub-Saharan Africa. This book is part of Routledge’s co-published series 30 Years of Democracy in South Africa, in collaboration with UNISA Press, which reflects on the past years of a democratic South Africa and assesses the future opportunities and challenges.