However, the factor which I think played the most important part in the ending of apartheid was releasing ANC leader Nelson Mandela in 1990. Not only did it symbolise a fresh start for the country, but also a new found uniformity of its people.

At the time, this move by the government was quite unexpected, but in retrospect, an inevitability. The prime minister of South Africa in 1989 was PW. Botha, however after having a stroke, and being forced into bitter resignation, was replaced by FW de Klerk. De Klerk was commonly thought to be conservative and agree with segregation but his first speech announced plans to legalise the ANC, PAC and SACP and also that political prisoners woul

The horrifying incident caused uproar in many other townships which lasted for months. Although the government claimed the riots were unpolitical, the Soweto troubles let loose by far the largest period of unrest in South Africa's history. It showed that officials were beginning to loose control.

Fourteen years prior to Mandela's release in 1976 school pupils had rioted in Soweto, the result of which had been many deaths amongst the children. The cause of the riot had been because of the appauling conditions in black township schools. Classes were over-crowded, there were no facilities and most importantly the pupils were being taught in Afrikaan. The language was not spoken anywhere else in the world, and they felt that they were simply being prepared as slaves for the whites.

Some common words found in the essay are:
South Africa, De Klerk, Nelson Mandela, , De Klerk's, South Africa's, Olympic Movement, south africa, PW Botha, PAC SACP, de klerk, Apparently God, economic pressures, sanctions south, apartheid releasing, sanctions south africa, nelson mandela,
Approximate Word count = 634
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)