About this site

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Contents

Table of Contents

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Z

 

A

 

ACDP

African Christian Democratic Party

ACTSTOP

Action Committee to Stop Evictions

ACTWUSA

Amalgamated Clothing & Textile Workers Union of South Africa

AFCWU

African Food and Canning Workers' Union

ANC

African National Congress

ANCYL

ANC Youth League

APLA

Azanian People's Liberation Army

ARM

African Resistance Movement

ARMSCOR

Armaments Corporation

AV

Afrikaner Volkswag (Afrikaner People's Movement)

AVF

Afrikaner Volksfront (Afrikaner People's Front)

AVU

Afrikaner Volksunie (Afrikaner People's Union)

AWB

Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (Afrikaner Resistance Movement)

AZAPO

Azanian Peoples Organisation

AZASM

Azanian Students' Movement

AZASO

Azanian Students' Organisation

B

 

BCM

Black Consciousness Movement

BCMA

Black Consciousness Movement of Azania

BWB

Boereweerstandsbeweging (Boer Resistance Movement)

C

 

CC

Central Committee

CCAWUSA

Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union of South Africa

CCB

Civil Co-operation Bureau

CD - ROM

Compact Disc - Read Only Memory

CEO

Chief Executive Officer

CI

Christian Institute of Southern Africa; Communist International

CODESA

Convention for a Democratic South Africa

CONTRALESA

Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa

COSAG

Concerned South Africans Group

COSAS

Congress of South African Students

COSATU

Congress of South African Trade Unions

CP

Conservative Party

CPSA

Communist Party of South Africa

CSIR

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

CSVR

Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation

CUSA

Council of Unions of South Africa

CUSA-AZACTU

Council of Unions of South Africa-Azania Congress of Trade Unions

D

 

DA

Democratic Alliance

DESCOM

Detainees Support Committee

DF

Defence Force (the armed services)

DLB

Dead Letter Box, or arms cache

DP

Democratic Party

DRC

Dutch Reformed Church

E

 

ECC

End Conscription Campaign

EL

East London (Eastern Cape Province)

EP

Eastern Province

ERIC

Education Resource and Information Centre

ESCOM

Electricity Supply Commission (a statutory body providing national electricity grid

F

 

FA

Freedom Alliance

FAWU

Food and Allied Workers Union

FC

Freedom Charter

FF

Freedom Front

FNB

First National Bank

FOSATU

Federation of South African Trade Unions

G

 

GDR

German Democratic Republic

GEAR

Growth, Employment and Redistribution

GNU

Government of National Unity (since 1994)

H

 

HNP

Herstigte Nasionale Party (a far rightwing breakaway from the National Party, formed 1969)

HRC

Human Rights Commission

HSRC

Human Sciences Research Council

I

 

IDASA

Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa

IDC

Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa

IEC

Independent Electoral Commission

IFP

Inkatha Freedom Party

ILO

International Labour Organisation

IMF

International Monetary Fund

IP

Independent Party (1988-1989)

ISCOR

Iron and Steel Corporation

J

 

JCI

Johannesburg Consolidated Investments Co. Ltd.

JMC

Joint Management Centre

JSE

Johannesburg Stock Exchange

K

 

KLA

KwaZulu Legislative Assembly

KP

Konserwatiewe Party (Conservative Party)

KZP

KwaZulu Police

L

 

LP

Labour Party of South Africa (since 1965)

LP

Liberal Party

LRA

Labour Relations Act

M

 

MASA

Medical Association of South Africa

MAWU

Metal and Allied Workers Union

MDM

Mass Democratic Movement

MEC

Member of the Executive Council

MEDUNSA

Medical University of South Africa

MGWUSA

Municipal and General Workers' Union of South Africa

MHQ

Military Headquarters

MK

Umkhonto we Sizwe (the military wing of the African National Congress)

MP

Member of Parliament

MPL

Member of the Provincial Legislature

N

 

NAAWU

National Automobile and Allied Workers Union

NACTU

National Council of Trade Unions

NADEL

National Association of Democratic Lawyers

NAFCOC

National Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry

NAMDA

National Medical and Dental Association

NCOP

National Council o Provinces

NDI

National Democratic Institute

NEC

National Executive Committee (of the ANC)

NECC

National Education Crisis Committee

NEDLAC

National Economic Development and Labour Council

NEHAWU

National Education Health & Allied Workers' Union

NGK

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church)

NGO

Non-Government Organisation

NIC

National Indian Congress

NICRO

National Institute for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of Offenders (since 1935)

NIS

National Intelligence Service

NNP

New National Party

NP

National Party (since 1914)

NSMS

National Security Management System

NUM

National Union of Mineworkers

NUMCC

National Unemployed Workers Coordinating Committee

NUMSA

National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa

NUSAS

National Union of South African Students (1924-1991, merged with Sansco)

O

 

OAU

Organisation of African Unity

OB

Ossewa Brandwag (since 1939)

OFS

Orange Free State

P

 

PAC

Pan Africanist Congress (since 1959, led by Robert Sobukwe)

PAGAD

People Against Gansterism and Drugs

PASO

Pan Africanist Student Organisation

PB

Political Bureau

PC

President's Council (a multi-racial body of 60 members, created in 1980 to act as an advisory council for the State President, until 1994)

PE

Port Elizabeth

PEBCO

Port Elizabeth Black Civic Organisation

PF

Permanent Force (the standing army of South Africa)

PFP

Progressive Federal Party

POW

Prisoner of War

PRP

Progressive Reform Party (1975-1977)

PUTCO

Public Utility Transport Corporation (a large bus company for black commuters)

PWV

Pretoria, Witwatersrand, Vereniging (now called Gauteng, a very industrial region of SA)

R

 

R

Rand

RAU

Rand Afrikaanse Universiteit (Rand Afrikaans University)

RDP

Reconstruction and Development Programme

RECCE

Colloquial - the reconnaissance Commando Unit, the 1st Parachute Batallion of the SADF

RMC

Release Mandela Campaign

RPMC

Swaziland Regional Politico-Military Council

RSA

Republic of South Africa

RSC

Regional Services Council (since 1985)

S

 

SAA

South African Airlines

SAAF

South African Air Force

SAASM

South African/Azanian Student Movement

SABC

South African Broadcasting Corporation (since 1936)

SABS

South African Bureau of Standards (since 1945)

SABTA

South African Black Taxi Association (since 1979)

SACBC

South African Catholic Bishops Conference

SACC

South African Council of Churches

SACOB

South African Chamber of Business

SACOS

South African Council on Sport

SACP

South African Communist Party

SACS

South African Communication Service; South African Association of Colleges and Schools

SACTU

South African Congress of Trade Unions

SADC

South African Development Community

SADF

South African Defence Force (before 1994)

SADTU

South African Democratic Teachers Union

SAFTO

South African Foreign Trade Organisation

SAIC

South African Indian Council

SAIRR

South African Institute of Race Relations

SAMWU

South African Municipal Workers Union

SANDF

South African National Defence Force (since 1994)

SANGONET

South African Non-Governmental Organisations

SANROC

South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee

SANSCO

South African National Students Congress (since 1986)

SAP

South African Party (since 1911); South African Police

SAPA

South African Press Association

SAPS

South African Police Service

SAR

South African Railways

SARHWU

South African Railways and Harbours Workers Union

SARS

South African Revenue Services

SASM

South African Students Movement

SASO

South African Students Organisation (since 1969, espousing Black consciousness)

SATOUR

South African Tourist Corporation

SATV

South African Television

SB

Special Branch

SBDC

Small Business Development Corporation

SC

Senior Counsel (the designation granted to senior advocates of the Supreme Court)

SCA

Soweto Civic Association

SDU

Self Defence Unit

SOMAFCO

Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College

SPU

Self Protection Unit

SRC

Students Representative Council (the elected committee representing students at universities, colleges and some schools)

SSC

State Security Council

SWA

South West Africa (now Namibia)

T

 

TBVC

Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei (the independent Bantustans)

TEC

Transitional Executive Council

TGWU

Transport and General Workers Union

TIC

Transvaal Indian Congress

TLC

Transitional Local Council (for the transitional period)

TRC

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

TUCSA

Trade Union Council of South Africa

U

 

UCT

University of Cape Town

UDF

United Democratic Front

UDM

United Democratic Movement

UDW

University of Durban- Westville

UFH

University of Fort Hare

UK

United Kingdom

UN

United Nations

UND

University of Natal - Durban campus

UNISA

University of South Africa

UNITRA

University of Transkei

UNP

University of Natal - Pietermaritzburg campus

UNTAG

United Nations Transitional Action Group

UOVS

University of the Orange Free State

UP

United Party; University of Pretoria

UPE

University of Port Elizabeth

US/USA

United States of America

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

UWC

University of the Western Cape

UWUSA

United Workers Union of South Africa (founded by Inkatha to oppose COSATU)

V

 

VF

Vryheid Front (Freedom Front)

W

 

WP

Western Province

WTC

World Trade Centre (Johannesburg)

Y

 

YCL

Young Communist League

Z

 

ZAR

Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek (Transvaal prior to the Anglo-Boer War)

ZCC

Zion Christian Church

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. Return to theThis resource is hosted by the site.