The Presidential Years

A non-racial coalition with hundreds of affiliated civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations. It launched in 1983, initially to fight the segregated Tricameral Parliament. By 1987 many activists were imprisoned or detained. Though not formally ANC-aligned, it adopted the Freedom Charter and demanded the release of political prisoners. In 1989, following restrictions on UDF and COSATU, the two began cooperating in a loose alliance called the Mass Democratic Movement. After the liberation movements were unbanned in 1990, the UDF disbanded.