Govan Mbeki's Contribution To The Movement Against Apartheid In South Africa

Improved Essays
The movement against the apartheid was constructed among various people in the society of South Africa. There was a consensus among the people for equality in the country not a revengeful opposition to those in power. Some prominent figures in the movement were Nelson Mandal, Govan Mebki, Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni. These eight figure were sentenced to life in prison with the reason of being the leaders in the movement. While each figure was influential in their own ways, Govan Mebki considered to be one of the most influential. The contribution of Govan Mbeki to the ongoing social movement to end apartheid in South Africa was by journalism, creation major unions and organization …show more content…
They lived their lives in respect to their white employers in an obedient manner. “Africans would have to seek jobs from white employers, which their jobs would be the lowest paid available, and that without the right to vote they could do little to change the laws that excluded them from the political process and relegated them to the bottom of the economy” (Wronger and Byrnes n.d). Due to all the phenomenon is discussed above, we see that the social movements impacted peoples identify by constantly reminding black people and other oppressed races that their self-worth mattered. This constant reminder of human value was the pivotal point within these social movements and shaping peoples identity. We see that respectable people such as Govan Mbeki were one of many famous people who made an impact in shaping/ influencing people’s identity. It is because of these brave heroes that South Africa is where it is …show more content…
With that being said, it goes to show that social movements are aspects of society that can only work and be implemented if people play their perceptive roles. A society as previously said, is made up of each and everyone’s individual contribution. Therefore, when it comes to suggestions on how this social movement can be improved I would say that the fundamental part of the issue is lack of education. Educating a population will only empower people within this movement to further their advocacy of the people. Having an educated population will allow for people to recognize their self-worth as a nation. This is one of the most crucial aspects we see derive from Apartheid the lack of education. Therefore, when it comes to agencies that can help I would say some funding toward education is what this society needs. An educated population can make the necessary change for the future generations to come. The apartheid was a systematic form of oppression that separated the individuals in the state, therefore; the use of education would render the multiracial communities to become one starting with their children. These children would later on have the ideology of being in a same setting with other races group would learn to value and understand different races and culture. Another recommendation that would have benefited the social movement would be

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    Historical Context 462

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Historical Context 462 Before Mandela came into power the apartheid system had been in South Africa between 1948-1991. There were lots of conflicts in South Africa's political since it was colonized by white settlers most of the politicians were white. Black people had very little say in any political decisions and due to that in 1948 the ANC (African National Congress) made apartheid. It was a system of racial segregation and discrimination. The goal was to separate the whites from the non-whites.…

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In relation to South Africa’s recent accomplishments in equality, now people of color no longer have to suffer through the intense system of racial domination, but, still face the daily struggles of being judged on their skin color and not their character. Mandela believes that in order to continue to succeed in this fight for social justice then citizens must be taught how to love and show generosity towards others (Mandela, 434). Correspondingly, this could be achieved…

    • 1022 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Taking a Stand on Justice Argument Essay Bishop Desmond Tutu a leader who stood up for the rights of south africans, once said “...if an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you that you are neutral that mouse will not appreciate your neutrality”. As if the elephant represents the educated or powerful , and the mouse represents the uneducated or minority. As society stays neutral even knowing that the mouse can't stand a chance against the elephant. It is important for people to take a stand on issues of justice in society, to change what’s wrong to right, to stand up for thoses who can’t stand up for themselves and to treat everyone equal no matter the race, gender or social class.…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nelson Mandela instigated his efforts in the fight to eliminate apartheid by joining the African National Congress. This was the oldest black political organisation in South Africa and is protuberant in its opposition to apartheid. It restrained the inequalities which were seen, and the apartheid organisation gave rise to a comprehensive resistance movement. For racial fairness and impartiality, Nelson had been an inspiring figure all around the world for activists, as he was giventhe symbol of peace, having contributed over the change from apartheid to multicultural equality, and having followed a plan of national reconciliation. In numerous ways, the introduction of apartheid was simply the authorisation of an already well-entrenched system.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    However in the late 70s the ANC began to regain attention, primarily due to the Free Mandela Campaign that was launched. In 1976 an essay written by Mandela, “We ought to speak directly to the Afrikaner and fully explain our position” was smuggled out of prison and published. It would be significant in the following years as it played a major role in the ANC’s development and choice of focusing the world’s attention on apartheid through one man, Mandela. However, it was not significant at the time as it was necessary for the climate to worsen for Apartheid before the significance of it was raised. The credit for this should be primarily given to Mandela as he struck out on his own and did something without the full support of the ANC, but because he was a member of the ANC and it was used by the ANC in 1978, some credit can be given to the ANC.…

    • 1886 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Oppression has been a tenet of man since the beginning of time. Today, oppression based on race feels equally as old. It is a wonder how we find ourselves studying the great leaders of civil rights movements past, as we look for answers to fix current day problems. Despite what is going on in the world now, there have been several people throughout history who made the choice to stand up to their oppressors and fight for the rights of themselves and those around them. By asking how they could change the world around them, these people set out to make a difference; to have their voices heard.…

    • 1247 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Mandela, who was the president of South Africa as well as the Nobel Piece Prize laureate, fought for equal rights against the Apartheid government in South Africa. Mandela spent over 40 years struggling for freedom and for twenty-seven of those years he was imprisoned. Shortly after the decent of the Apartheid, in the first multiracial, democratic election, Nelson Mandela was elected as the President of South Africa and also, the first black president. In the year of 1962, Nelson Mandela was thrown in jail for 27 years. He was convicted of attempting to overthrow the government.…

    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The sources information used in the paper are found in the bibliography while molding all of the ideas together creating its own. Occasion- Anti-Apartheid Movement was done in 2008…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    “…More than 90 percent of white South Africans go through a lifetime without seeing firsthand the inhuman conditions under which blacks have to survive.” The white society of the 1960’s claimed its blacks were “happy.” The truth? They had not an idea of the harsh reality in which black life led under apartheid. The Autobiography Kaffir Boy, takes the readers along on an enthralling journey through the harsh ghettos of Alexandria to the rich white neighborhoods of South Africa.…

    • 1233 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One particular social movement that is a good example of the benefits of such movements is the Chicano movement that occurred from the 1950s to the 1980s. Two of the main reasons for it were the search of autonomy and political liberation. The rights of Mexican Americans diminished as they entered the United States and there was nothing they could do about it as no political authority was given to them. This caused the unequal individuals to fight in order to be represented in politics: to have their…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Research Paper Rough Draft In America, the civil war was a big issue; It involved the injustice of White Americans having the superiority over African Americans. Although, at the same time African Americans protest for equality for all races to have justice and freedom. In a similar predicament between 1948-2000 South Africa had the history of inequality towards African Americans. They set a system of segregation called an Apartheid, which only set rules on Africans Americans or “colored” people Just like the civil war, African American people protested for equality, but was never set until years past and people became to start realizing the unjust in the situation.…

    • 1260 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There were several major causes for the collapse of the Soviet Union. After Soviet leaders extended their navy and support for rebel movements; the United States restated an anti-Soviet posture in 1981, when Ronald Regan threatened the Soviet regime with intensive military spending. After 1985 a new Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, tried to save communism by introducing reforms. Gorbachev’s attempts to salvage communism failed and in 1989 after communism was replaced with solidarity the Berlin Wall fell, and in 1991 the Soviet Union disbanded.…

    • 1120 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    South African Apartheid

    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In 1961, many resistance leaders had been captured and sentenced to long prison terms or executed. Nelson Mandela, a founder of Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”), the military wing of the ANC, was incarcerated from 1963 to 1990; his imprisonment would draw international attention and help gather support for the anti-apartheid…

    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    When it comes to revolutionaries only some can be remembered such as one of the world 's greatest activist; Nelson Mandela. A man who would bleed for his country the same way a mother would bleed for her child. Mandela was revered for his aptitude and passion to free his country regardless of the cost. He orchestrated reforms for his motherland by bringing human rights and reducing poverty. Mandela shows that whichever tribulation one may go through wilol not dictate their future.…

    • 1454 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Without the difficulties and hardships that inevitably come with life, the human race would have no true desire to change things, for example, their lives, even if some factors certainly need adjusting. In Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, the Europeans in South Africa, also known as Afrikaans, were extremely unwilling to change the government structure and laws simply due to the fact that they were content with how things played out in their favor. They had absolutely everything they ever wanted available to them, but disregarded other races’ conditions because of this. (Mandela 111). Luxury and comfort can be deceiving, and it shielded the whites…

    • 1195 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays