What was the Defiance Campaign and what were its aims?

The Defiance Campaign was an act of civil disobedience by opposition groups against apartheid in South Africa in 1952 and 1953.

On April 6, 1952, the 300th anniversary of the arrival of white settlers in South Africa, demonstrations were held in support of the Defiance Campaign, which began on June 26 of the year. Campaign participants consciously violated apartheid laws, such as the ban on the use of facilities for whites and the obligation to wear passports. The idea was to be arrested for breaking the law, so that the prisons become overcrowded and thereby paralyze the judiciary.

The unexpectedly numerous non-violent activities of civil disobedience in the course of this campaign put the South African government in a politically and tactically difficult situation, since it was very difficult to deal with civilians without the potential for violence by police means. Although thousands of actors had already been arrested, the campaign did not decrease.

Around 8,500 Defiance Campaign actors were arrested, including Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Yusuf Dadoo, who were accused of treason under the Suppression of Communism Act. The Defiance Campaign was the first nationwide non-violent campaign against the apartheid system.