South African resistance to war has a long tradition, and a history that includes

conscientious objectors A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to objecti ...

, pacifists, deserters and draft dodgers, as well as those whose objections are based upon the notion of "just war" as opposed to unjust or illegal war.

Conscientious objectors

The first known conscientious objectors in South Africa were English, Scottish, and Irishmen who were disillusioned by the treatment of

Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...

civilians kept in the

concentration camps Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...

. Those who based their objection to war either on grounds of the rejection of a particular system, such as the

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

regime, or doctrines that exclude war based upon illegal means. The

End Conscription Campaign The End Conscription Campaign was an anti-apartheid organisation allied to the United Democratic Front and composed of conscientious objectors and their supporters in South Africa. It was formed in 1983 to oppose the conscription of all white ...

was an organisation active from 1983-1994, that for the most part, pursued the notion of objection to war based upon freedom of conscience.

Pacifists, deserters and draft dodgers

Those who resisted war in general or in part due to either religious, private or personal convictions by failing to enlist, deserting, or refusing to do service by other means were deserters and punishable under the Military Discipline Code (MDC), which forms part of the 1957 Defence Act. Although the 1957 Defence Act requires military service obligations after completion of the initial military training, the obligations are not enforced because of an August 1994 moratorium placed on prosecution for not responding to the call-ups. However, the moratorium does not apply to cases of absence without leave or desertion. In other words, conscription is not enforced, but those who deserted under the apartheid system or who failed to respond to call-ups can still technically be prosecuted.

Committee on South African War Resistance

The Committee on South African War Resistance (COSAWR) was founded in 1978 by the merging of two groups of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

n war resisters active in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. It functions as a self-help organization for South African military refugees, worked to raise the issue of

militarism Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...

in South Africa and conducted research into the South African military structure and resistance. Its magazine ''Resister'' became the leading magazine on South Africa's militarisation. In 1990, when the sentencing of

in South Africa changed considerably, most members decided to return to South Africa.

Conscientious Objector Support Group

The

Conscientious Objector Support Group The Conscientious Objector Support Group (COSG), a support group to conscientious objectors (COs) in South Africa, was formed in 1978. The organisation grew in the context of South African resistance to war, at the time of Apartheid. COs at the ti ...

(COSG), an umbrella organisation, was formed in 1978. In 1982, serving sentences in military detention barracks were being served by 263 conscientious objectors. In 1983, the Defence Act was amended to provide for the first time a six-year substitute service outside the armed forces for conscientious objectors.

Stop the War Committee

The Stop the War Committee was an anti-war organisation which opposed the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

. It was formed by

William Thomas Stead William Thomas Stead (5 July 184915 April 1912) was a British newspaper editor who, as a pioneer of investigative journalism, became a controversial figure of the Victorian era. Stead published a series of hugely influential campaigns whilst e ...

in 1899. Its president was John Clifford, and prominent members included Lloyd George and

Keir Hardie James Keir Hardie (15 August 185626 September 1915) was a Scottish trade unionist and politician. He was a founder of the Labour Party, and served as its first parliamentary leader from 1906 to 1908. Hardie was born in Newhouse, Lanarkshire. ...

. The group was generally seen as pro-

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