# Azanian People's Organisation *South African liberation movement and political party* The Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO) is a South African political party that describes itself as a liberation movement. It draws on two traditions: the philosophy of Black Consciousness, worked out by Steve Biko, Harry Nengwekhulu, Abram Onkgopotse Tiro, Vuyelwa Mashalaba and others, and Marxist scientific socialism.[^1] Its school-level student body is the Azanian Students' Movement (AZASM), and its university-level counterpart is the Azanian Students' Convention (AZASCO). Its women's wing is the Imbeleko Women's Organisation, usually called IMBELEKO.[^1] AZAPO grew out of Black Consciousness bodies that the apartheid government banned in 1977. The government banned AZAPO itself in 1987 and lifted the ban in 1990. In October 1994 the organisation merged with the Black Consciousness Movement of Azania.[^2][^3] ## History Three Black Consciousness bodies formed AZAPO: the Black People's Convention (BPC), the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) and the Black Community Programmes (BCP). On Wednesday, 19 October 1977, all three were among 17 Black Consciousness organisations the government banned over their part in the Soweto uprisings of 16 June 1976.[^2] AZAPO held a conference in Roodepoort in September 1979, a year after its founding. The conference elected a national executive and made Curtis Nkondo president.[^3] The South African government banned AZAPO in 1987, driving it underground and into exile. AZAPO and its youth wing, AZAYO, were unbanned in 1990, after which the organisation could again pursue its political programmes legally. In October 1994 AZAPO merged with the Black Consciousness Movement of Azania (BCMA), its sister organisation in exile.[^3] Under apartheid, AZAPO ran a "cultural boycott" inside South Africa as part of a campaign to isolate the country internationally. The Wikipedia article links this period to black South Africans forming trade unions and civic organisations.[^4] AZAPO's armed wing was the Azanian National Liberation Army (AZANLA), which succeeded the Azanian People's Liberation Front (APLF). The Wikipedia article lists the states that gave AZANLA support and military training as Iran, Yugoslavia, China, Libya, Botswana, Palestine, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe and Eritrea. It says APLF cadres trained in countries including Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. A planned arrangement for Iraq to train AZANLA combatants fell through because of the First Gulf War in 1990.[^4] The same article describes a "bloody internecine feud" in the 1980s between AZAPO and the ANC. It says the ANC was then operating through the United Democratic Front (UDF).[^4] ## Negotiations with SOPA AZAPO has repeatedly negotiated with SOPA about merging the two parties. The talks collapsed in 2004, collapsed again in 2007, and failed a third time in 2013.[^5] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Azanian People's Organisation* (revision 1325280808, retrieved 26 October 2026, CC BY-SA 4.0) — lead section: description, ideological sources, student and women's wings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azanian_People's_Organisation [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Azanian People's Organisation* (revision 1325280808, retrieved 26 October 2026) — History section: founding organisations; banning of 17 Black Consciousness organisations on 19 October 1977. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azanian_People's_Organisation [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Azanian People's Organisation* (revision 1325280808, retrieved 26 October 2026) — History section: September 1979 Roodepoort conference; 1987 ban; 1990 unbanning with AZAYO; October 1994 merger with the BCMA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azanian_People's_Organisation [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Azanian People's Organisation* (revision 1325280808, retrieved 26 October 2026) — History section: cultural boycott; AZANLA and APLF training; the Iraq agreement and the First Gulf War; the 1980s feud with the ANC/UDF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azanian_People's_Organisation [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Azanian People's Organisation* (revision 1325280808, retrieved 26 October 2026) — Negotiations with SOPA section: merger talks that broke down in 2004, 2007 and 2013. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azanian_People's_Organisation