![]() ![]() Many of the affiliates of the UDF did not support the distant position of the UDF and would rather it had taken a more confrontational position. The lead in the revolts was therefore taken by Charterists. The UDF felt it should rather focus on state repression and the school boycott, which were both national issues. The UDF felt sure that, as in 1976, the revolts would not be able to continue without grassroot organisation. At the November meeting the main focus was however the form and direction of the UDF, not the revolts. State repression of the UDF meant that it could only meet once in the last five months of 1984. ![]() The state however placed a lot of the blame for the revolts on the UDF, and began to arrest and detain leaders of the UDF in late 1984. The UDF took little notice of township revolts in the first months of 1984, and only started to get involved as a result of police violence and state repression. Picture: Bailey's African History Archives. Some activists were aware of the UDF's standpoint, and sometimes even discouraged UDF involvement. It was also more concerned with coloured and Indian issues surrounding the Tricameral parliament, and did not pay much attention to black townships at this time. The UDF was aware of the civic problems affecting people, and mentioned these in speeches in order to get support for national campaigns, but it felt such issues were the concern of local organisations. The UDF at this stage was still only thinking along the lines of affiliate-based campaigns and resistance against the state, and did not plan to get involved in township militancy. Although the UDF played no direct role in these protests, the increased resistance and awareness brought about by them did affect the people. The demonstration on 3 September was not the first protest caused by local circumstances, bus fare increases and similar across the country. By the end of the year almost 150 people had been killed in political violence, which increased to 600 by September 1985 as the revolts spread across the country and the government declared a State of Emergency. The marchers also looted shops, set fire to houses and killed 4 councillors. The Vaal Civic Association organised the stayaway, school boycott and march for 3 September 1984, which led to clashes with both police and township councillors, and left thirty people dead. The Lekoa and Evaton Town Councils' idea to raise tariffs for municipal services caused the demonstrations and stayaways in the Vaal Triangle. On 3 September the Tricameral Parliament opened in Cape Town while protest demonstrations began in the Transvaal, marking the start of the longest and most widespread period of black resistance to white rule.
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