The government restricts the UDF and allied organizations

Unions associated with Black Consciousness and Africanist traditions formed a national federation independent of COSATU.

The election excluded the African majority and occurred under emergency rule, while the Conservative Party grew on the white right.

An explosion devastated the trade-union federation's Johannesburg headquarters amid state and covert attacks on democratic organizations.

More than 300,000 Black mineworkers struck over wages, safety and working conditions in the largest industrial action in South African history to that point.

After twenty-three years in prison, the Rivonia veteran became the first of the senior ANC political prisoners to be released.

The Wembley concert reached a worldwide television audience and transformed the demand to free Mandela into a global popular campaign.

The transfer placed Mandela in a house on prison grounds and facilitated increasingly direct talks with government representatives.

While white, Coloured and Indian chambers were elected, the Black majority remained excluded and democratic organizations mobilized defiance.

About 30,000 people marched with civic, religious and political leaders after police violence, demonstrating the weakening of restrictions on public protest.

De Klerk took office amid deep internal resistance, economic pressure and international isolation that made political change unavoidable.