Steve Biko
A Revolutionary Activist and Legal Reformer
Biography
Biko was most well known for his political activism against the apartheid government, which induced segregation in South Africa and did not give equal rights to the black population. Known as the founder as well as the martyr of the Black Consciousness movement in South Africa, he was the founder of SASO, the South African Students Organization in 1969, which spurred The aforementioned movement in South Africa (Husbands).
Steve Biko's fight against the Apartheid regime came to a premature end, as on September 12th 1977, Biko passed away in a prison in Pretoria while in the custody of police. Although the circumstances around his death were clouded in conspiracy and controversy, one thing that is clear as day is that Biko played a tremendous role in shaping the Black community in South Africa has been nothing short of exceptional. As Nelson Mandela said, "They had to kill him to prolong the life of the apartheid,"(Millward).
Philosophy
Biko believed in the same cause, but differed in his fight against it through the regulations of his groups he created. His influence started the "Black Conscious Movement" which in his eyes showed "black people the value of their own standards and outlook... to judge themselves according to these standards and not to be fooled by white society who have whitewashed themselves and made white standards the yardstick by which even black people judge each other,"(Husbands).
His philosophy essentially was self reliance within the black community, not needing any co-operation with white groups which in turn lead to tension between the ANC and Biko's organizations as the ANC though that this was a radical mindset. However, the two sides were intended to meet up until the premature death of Biko, where they in theory would have come together and combine their ideologies to fight the apartheid government (Husbands). Radical or not, Biko was fighting for the same cause and made a significant difference in the black community in South Africa through his groups and coalitions. Biko's philosophy and political movements played a crucial role in ending the apartheid government.
Recreation of a Speech by Steve Biko from the movie "Cry Freedom" (1970)
Groups, Movements, and Impacts
The South African Student's associated was an all-black group which focused on aiding the suffering black community in South Africa.They conducted various projects and initiatives to aid the neighbouring black community and make as much as of a difference as they could. They focused helping the people the government had essentially abandoned. Under his tutelage, students surveyed the nearby areas and provided the required aid and assistance. They provided assistance to medical clinics, as well as playing a significant role in developing tertiary industries to help financially benefit impoverished areas by creating jobs (Husbands). After three years of being involved in SASO, he was expelled from Natal due to his political involvements. ("Steve Biko")
After being expelled from his university, Biko was only more determined to continue making a difference. He then co-founded The Black People's Convention, which kept the initial goals of SASO alive, continuing to make a difference in South Africa through aiding the non-white community. They were responsible for creating and implementing social upliftment projects, as well as bringing together over 70 different Black Consciousness groups (Husbands). This mass gathering spurred the already growing Black Consciousness Movement into fruition. The Black Consciousness Movement was the rising social movement growing in South Africa which intentions were to cause legal reform and end the apartheid government. Biko, along with the Black People's convention became the face of the BCM.
With his mass composition of groups and his growing influence in the South African Black community and being the essential face for the BCM, the apartheid government took action against Biko. They subsequently banned him, meaning that he could not speak nor write to the public. Furthermore he was forbade by the government to have any contact with the media, as well as the restriction of not being able to talk to more than one person at a time ("Steve Biko"). Yet throughout all this, Biko did not shake on his stance and influence as he was still able to make a difference. By working undercover, he was able to create the Zimele Trust Fund in order to provide financial aid to those who had been imprisoned due to their political activism and their families ("Steve Biko").
Biko Stands Trial - Representation from "Cry Freedom" (1970)
Factors of Change
Biko's revolutionary impact on the South African People helped create change in terms of beliefs and ideals about the apartheid government. By word of mouth and the groups that he created in SASO and the The Black Peoples Convention and what they did in terms of helping the black community, legally and financially, really turned a lot of heads in South Africa. As he started to gain traction, people got behind Biko even after he was banned by the apartheid. His voice, his ideals, his leadership and eventually his death played crucial roles in terms of changing beliefs about segregation in South Africa.
After Biko and the Soweto uprising in 1976, the whole world took notice of the severe extent of the political issues revolving around segregation in South Africa. Hundreds of black South Africans were killed, and with that brought a lot of attention from around the world with regards to the morality of the apartheid government. Not only that but it changed how South Africans, regardless of colour, viewed the current political state. Furthermore, this planted the seeds for change and the end of the apartheid political system.
Demographic
The brutality and killing of the black community in South Africa during protests and movements such as the Soweto uprising, lead to an increased death rate which significantly lowered the non-white population. Furthermore, the slaughter of the non-white community showed the world how a specific demographic was being brutalized, and made it clear to the people of South Africa that change needs to be made.
Sources of Law
Socio-Political Philosophy
Biko's philosophy as previously mentioned included that the non-white population of South Africa should be seen as equal, and established this through SASO and The BPC. His groups essentially created the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, which lead to a great social movement. In the past, black people were treated as slaves, owned by the white, not seen as equals. This past philosophy was the reason for such a government like the apartheid to exist, and Biko did everything in his power to end this archaic way of thinking.
Morality
Biko believed that the South African black community being segregated and discriminated against was immoral as well as unethical. Thus throughout his movements and protests the groups he was a part of and assembled were all independent of any help from the white community.
Legal Traditions
The apartheid government's archaic philosophy and way of thinking lead to them use positive law to create the segregation laws. They used positive law to induce segregation and discrimination to the non-white population of South Africa, and in turn created hate and did not promote a sense of equality in the population. This tumultuous time period in South Africa where the government imposed and allowed the segregation and brutality of their black community is an example in history of where positive law lead to turmoil.
Natural Law
Biko did not use positive law, as he did not have the jurisdiction to physically change the laws. He instead used the ideals of natural law in his philosophy and movements. The basis of the BCM was believing in the ideology that God created all individuals as equal, thus believing that all people regardless of colour should have equal rights and should be seen as equal under the law. Furthermore, natural law states that civil disobedience is validated if the laws that are acted against are unjust, which the BCM took part in through means of protests.
Death and Legacy
Bibliography
"The End of Apartheid." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/apartheid>.
Husbands, Ajani. "South Africa Seminar: Info Pages." South Africa Seminar: Info Pages. Leland Stanford Junior Univeristy, 19 Sept. 2004. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <https://web.stanford.edu/~jbaugh/saw/Ajani_Biko.html>.
Kampmark, Binoy. "Fighting the Apartheid Regime in South Africa: Commemorating Steve Biko at 70." Global Research. Clarity Press, 21 Dec. 2016. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.globalresearch.ca/fighting-the-apartheid-regime-in-south-africa-commemorating-steve-biko-at-70/5563938>.
Millward, David. "Who Was Steve Biko and Why Is He so Important to South Africa?"The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 18 Dec. 2016. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/steve-biko-important-south-africa/>.
"Stephen Bantu Biko." South African History Online. South African History Online, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/stephen-bantu-biko>.
"Steve Biko." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 08 July 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.biography.com/people/steve-biko-38884#synopsis>.