Defiance Campaign

The Defiance Campaign against Unjust Laws was presented by the African National Congress (ANC) at a conference held in Bloemfontein, South Africa in December 1951.

[3] In December of that year, leaders in the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo, took power.

[3] The African National Congress (ANC) also "adopts the Programme of Action" on 17 December, which advocated a more militant approach to protesting apartheid.

[3] In 1950, the ANC started promoting demonstrations, mass action, boycotts, strikes and acts of civil disobedience.

[8] In major South African cities, people and organizations performed acts of defiance and civil disobedience.

[14] Other orders to shoot demonstrators "on sight" were issued by the South African Minister of Justice, Charles Swart.

[15] In the middle of April 1953, Chief Albert Luthuli, the President-General of the ANC, proclaimed that the Defiance Campaign would be called off so that the resistance groups could reorganize taking into consideration the new political climate in South Africa.

[17] The Defiance Campaigns, including bus boycotts in South Africa, served as an inspiration to Civil Rights Activists in the United States.

The Red Location is one of the oldest settled black townships of Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa.

[21] On 26 July 1952, Florence Matomela joined many others in a Defiance Campaign against the Apartheid pass laws at the New Brighton Railway Station which also included Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba and Vuyisile Mini and other men.

Key role players of this Defiance Campaign included: Nosipho Dastile (1938–2009) was a well known political figure and founder of the United Democratic Front.

[24] The Red Location Museum in New Brighton held a year-long exhibition dedicated to these women of the liberation struggle, by paying tribute to Florence Matomela, Nontuthuzelo Mabala, Veronica Sobukwe, Lilian Diedricks and Nosipho Dastile.