Protests and Action: Bus

Boycotts
Angélica Salazar Rodríguez
Historia HL – DP
10th
2021-2022
Objective
To evaluate the achievements and limitations of the bus boycotts as a
form of protests in South Africa during the Apartheid
What it was?
• Form of non-violent protest against the NP and the authorities
• Founded on economic interest rather than political ones
• Representation of the low wages of salaries
• Most important bus boycott: Alexandra (1957)
Achievements
• Sympathy of the White community on difficulties of non-White
population
• Organized popular action with effective means of peaceful political
protest
• Real changes on the fares of the buses
Limitations
• Role of the ANC to initiate a bus boycott
• Mayor threat by the NP and by the apartheid government due to the
political concessions achieved by the non-White
• Police response = fines to the marchers and/or puncture to bicycle
tyres
 Exercise
E. Sisulu. Walter and Albertina Sisulu: In Our Lifetime (2002)
Local groups came together to form an Alexandra People’s Transport Committee. Alfred Nzo, the
ANC chairman for Alexandra, and Thomas Nkobi were part of the committee. Nzo and Nkobi
regularly briefed the ANC leadership at Drill Hall about the progress of the boycott, which soon
spread to Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, East London, Uitenhage and other centers. Beyond all
expectations, the Alexandra Bus Boycott continued for over three months, and newspapers were
filled with compelling images of people trudging their daily 20 miles, while sympathetic white
motorists braved police intimidation to provide lifts to the weary walkers. The boycott finally
ended in mid-April; six weeks later, the government introduced a new Bill in Parliament, the Native
Services Levy Act of 1957, which provided a subsidy for bus fares. Anthony Sampson noted that “It
was the first Act of Parliament in the 47 years of the Union to be passed directly as a result of
African pressure”

First question, part a – 3 marks

According to the source, in what ways was the Alexandra bus boycott of 1957 a success?
Conclusion
What keywords or concepts would you use to describe the protest held
by non-White communities during this period of the Apartheid?