Origins: The SANNC and the South Africa Act

The African National Congress (ANC) was formed in 1912 as a result of black dissatisfaction with the South Africa Act of 1910, their treatment after the South African War and the numerous laws being passed that controlled and restricted black movement and work. In 1909 a group of black delegates from the four provinces met in Bloemfontein to object to the South Africa Act. They called themselves the South African Native Convention (SANC), and decided to send a delegation to London to convince the British government not to accept the Union in its present form. This delegation was led by WP Schreiner, but failed in its aim. The SANC continued to object through 1910 and 1911, and highlighted the need for a permanent body to represent blacks on a national level. The main initiative to transform the body was taken by Pixley ka Isaka Seme and Solomon Plaatje.

On 8 January 1912 a group of black intellectuals met in Bloemfontein. The Transvaal was the best represented with 25 delegates, while some influential people, including John Langalibalele Dube and John Tengo Jabavu, were unable to attend. The South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which changed its name to the ANC in 1923, was formed with Dube elected as the first President, Plaatje as Secretary-General and Seme as Treasurer-General. The SANNC outlined five basic aims in their draft constitution:

• To promote unity and mutual co-operation between the government and the South African black people
• To maintain a channel between the government and the black people
• To promote the social, educational and political upliftment of the black people
• To promote understanding between chiefs, and loyalty to the British crown and all lawful authorities and to promote understanding between white and black South Africans
• To address the just grievances of the black people

Although the contents of the constitution were not radical, there was no agreement on the constitution and a final constitution was only accepted in 1919. The SANNC was an elitist rather than a mass movement in its early days, and consisted of people with an education or a position in the community.