Azanian People's Organisation
Azanian People's Organisation | |
---|---|
President | Jacob Dikobo |
Chairperson | Zithulele Nyangana Absalom Cindi |
Secretary-General | Mpotseng Kgokong |
Slogan | The People's Alternative |
Founded | 28 April 1978 |
Merger of | BCMA and Azapo |
Preceded by | Black People's Convention |
Headquarters | Suite 702, Nedbank Building, 145 Smal Street, Johannesburg |
Student wing | Azanian Students' Convention |
Youth wing | Azanian Youth Organisation |
Women's wing | Imbeleko |
Liberation Army |
Azanian National Liberation Army (formerly) |
Ideology |
Socialism, Black Consciousness |
Colours | Black, Red, and Orange |
National Assembly seats |
0 / 400 |
Party flag | |
Website | |
www | |
Politics of South Africa Political parties Elections |
The Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO) is a South African political organisation and a former liberation movement. The organisation's two student wings are the Azanian Students' Movement (AZASM) for high school learners and the other being for tertiary students called the Azanian Students' Convention (AZASCO), its women's wing is Imbeleko Women's Organisation, simply known as IMBELEKO. Its inspiration is drawn from the Black Consciousness Movement philosophies developed by Steve Biko, Onkgopotse Tiro and Vuyelwa Mashalaba, as well as Marxist Scientific Socialism.
It was founded in 1978 out of three organisations: the Black People's Convention (BPC), the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) and the Black Community Programmes (BCP). These were three of a number of black consciousness organisations that were banned on Wednesday, 19 October 1977 for their role in the armed resistance and the 16 June 1976 Soweto uprisings. In October 1994, AZAPO merged with its sister organisation in exile, the Black Consciousness Movement of Azania (BCMA).
AZAPO campaigned for the isolation of South Africa during its apartheid years by waging a so-called "cultural boycott" in the country; black people increasingly regained their resolve to fight for their rights and formed trade unions and civic organisations that drew the blueprint for the conduct of struggles by civil society.
During the Apartheid era, the armed wing of AZAPO was the Azanian National Liberation Army (AZANLA) which received support and military training in China, Libya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Eritrea. There was an agreement with Iraq to train AZANLA combantants but that was thwarted by the invasion of Iraq by the US in 1990. During the 1980s, it was engaged in a bloody internecine feud with the ANC.
AZAPO was unbanned in 1990, which permitted it to continue its political programs legally. It was invited, but refused to participate in, the negotiations to end apartheid, a decision which led to the resignation of two senior members, Monwabisi Vuza and Imraan Moosa.[1] The party then boycotted the 1994 elections, but has participated in each of the elections since then. On 21 March 1998 a faction broke away to form the Socialist Party of Azania (SOPA). AZAPO won one seat in each of the 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections, but failed to win a seat in the 2014 general election.
The current leader of the party is Jacob Dikobo.
Negotiations with SOPA
The party has had regular negotiations with SOPA aimed at merging the two parties but these broke down in 2004, 2007 and again in 2013.[2][3]
Election results
National elections
Election | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | 20,421 | 0.11 | 0 |
2009 | 38,245 | 0.22 | 1 |
2004 | 39,116 | 0.25 | 1 |
1999 | 27,257 | 0.17 | 1 |
Provincial elections
Election | Eastern Cape | Free State | Gauteng | Kwazulu-Natal | Limpopo | Mpumalanga | North-West | Northern Cape | Western Cape | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | |
2014 | 0.12% | 0/63 | 0.16% | 0/30 | 0.12% | 0/73 | 0.15% | 0/80 | 0.26% | 0/49 | 0.09% | 0/30 | 0.17% | 0/33 | 0.25% | 0/30 | 0.04% | 0/42 |
2009 | 0.20% | 0/63 | - | - | 0.21% | 0/73 | - | - | 0.38% | 0/49 | 0.23% | 0/30 | 0.25% | 0/33 | 0.60% | 0/30 | 0.07% | 0/42 |
2004 | 0.17% | 0/63 | 0.35% | 0/30 | 0.25% | 0/73 | 0.26% | 0/80 | 0.51% | 0/49 | 0.19% | 0/30 | 0.29% | 0/33 | 0.52% | 0/30 | 0.09% | 0/42 |
1999 | - | - | - | - | 0.16% | 0/73 | 0.17% | 0/80 | 0.54% | 0/49 | 0.10% | 0/30 | - | - | 0.41% | 0/30 | - | - |
Municipal elections
Election | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
2011 | 50,631 | 0.2% |
2006 | 74,627 | 0.3% |
2000 | 0.3% | |
References
- ↑ "Azanian People's Organization (AZAPO)". South African History online. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Azapo, Sopa merge ahead of polls". Independent Online. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ↑ "Impasse thwarts Azapo, Sopa merger". Independent Online. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
External links
- Azanian People's Organisation official site
- Flag of AZAPO
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