The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures.

Date: 22 Jan 1984
Updated: 7 Jan 2020

On 22 January 1984, amidst the Apartheid government’s constitutional reform plans, the United Democratic Front (UDF) embarked on an ambitious campaign to collect one million signatures from the public, declaring opposition against the Apartheid government and its constitutional reforms, and as a show of support for the UDF. By the end of the campaign in October, it had only managed to collect close to 400 000 signatures. The organisation blamed the failure of the campaign on police harassment of its supporters and prospective participants, but the party’s internal conflict, inexperience of its leadership and differences in priorities could also have contributed to the disappointing outcome.

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01Seekings J.(2000) The UDF: A History of the United Democratic Front in South Africa, 1983-1991, David Phillip Publishers (Pty) Ltd, 208 Werdmuller Centre, Claremont 7708 South Africa, pp 100
02SAHO, UDF Timeline, from South African History Online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 8 January 2014]

Last updated · 7 Jan 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, January 20). The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures. . South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0072921

South African History Online (2012) 'The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures. ', South African History Online, 20 January. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0072921 (Accessed: 24 September 2026).

South African History Online, The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0072921, (accessed 24 September 2026).

"The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures. ." South African History Online, 20 Jan. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0072921. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "The UDF launches the Million Signatures Campaign and by October collect just under 400 000 signatures. ." South African History Online. January 20, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0072921.