How did Black South Africans protest discriminatory laws in Johannesburg during the early 1900s?

In the early 1900s, Black South Africans in Johannesburg actively resisted discriminatory laws and social engineering through both organized political advocacy and direct labor action.

Feeling betrayed by the failure of the British to uphold promises of equality after the South African War, Black residents organized numerous petitions and deputations to protest racist enactments. By 1912, these efforts coalesced into the formation of the South African Native National Congress, later known as the African National Congress (ANC).12

Protest frequently escalated into direct resistance, particularly as economic conditions worsened during World War I. Key forms of opposition included:

• Labor Strikes: African railway and municipal workers staged strikes to protest low wages and inflation. In 1920, 70,000 Black mineworkers struck for improved working conditions, an action that was met with severe state violence as the army forced strikers underground at bayonet point.1
• Anti-Pass Campaigns: The local affiliate of the ANC launched major campaigns against the pass laws, which were used to restrict movement and control the Black labor force. These campaigns often resulted in violent clashes with police.13

These acts of resistance were fundamental in challenging the systemic segregation and exploitation imposed by municipal and state authorities.13