African National Congress
Founded on 8 January 1912 by John Langalibalele Dube in Bloemfontein as the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), its primary mission was to give voting rights to black and mixed-race Africans and, from the 1940s, to end apartheid. The ANC originally attempted to use nonviolent protests to end apartheid, however, the Sharpeville massacre resulted in the deaths of 69 black Africans and contributed to deteriorating relations with the South African government. On 8 April 1960, the administration of Charles Robberts Swart, banned the ANC and forced the party to leave South Africa. After the ban, the ANC formed the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) to fight against apartheid utilizing guerrilla warfare and sabotage. On 3 February 1990, State President F. W. de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and released Nelson Mandela on 11 February 1990. On 17 March 1992, the apartheid referendum was passed by the voters removing apartheid and allowing the ANC to run in the 1994 election. Since the 1994 election the ANC has performed better than 60% in all general elections, including the most recent 2014 election.
Assassination of Chris Hani
During this time anti-apartheid political groups such as the Afrapix and ANC became heavily organised and employed both passive and aggressive methods to challenge the longevity of apartheid. From 1963 until 1990 Nelson Mandela, founder of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was imprisoned resulting in international support of anti-apartheid progress. From 1985 the United Kingdom and United States imposed an economic sanction upon South Africa, especially upon the importation of coal and uranium, in attempt to strong-arm a democratic election. These sanctions alongside pressure from the United Nations were largely ineffective due to various loop-holes and the independent strength of the South African economy. In 1994 South Africa held its first full democratic election inclusive of all racial votes, resulting in the election of the African National Congress who secured 63.1% of the popular vote and 252 seats in the National Assembly. The ANC has been the governing party of South Africa until present.