▁national ▁organisation ." ▁The ▁S AN NC ▁was ▁founded ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁on ▁ 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Union ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁began ▁a ▁system atic ▁opp ression ▁of ▁black ▁people ▁in ▁South ▁Africa . ▁The ▁Land ▁Act ▁was ▁prom ul g ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁forcing ▁many ▁black ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁from ▁their ▁far ms ▁into ▁the ▁cities ▁and ▁towns ▁to ▁work , ▁and ▁to ▁restrict ▁their ▁movement ▁within ▁South ▁Africa . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁the ▁S AN NC ▁was ▁leading ▁a ▁campaign ▁against ▁passes ▁( an ▁ID ▁which ▁black ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁had ▁to ▁possess ). ▁However , ▁it ▁then ▁became ▁d orm ant ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 2 0 s . ▁During ▁that ▁time , ▁black ▁people ▁were ▁also ▁represented ▁by ▁the ▁IC U ▁and ▁the ▁previously ▁white - only ▁Commun ist ▁party . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁the ▁organisation ▁became ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁the ▁AN C ▁supported ▁a ▁milit ant ▁mine work ers ' ▁strike . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁J . T . ▁G um ede ▁( pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁AN C ) ▁proposed ▁co - operation ▁with ▁the ▁Commun ists ▁in ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁rev ital ise ▁the ▁organisation , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁voted ▁out ▁of ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁This ▁led ▁to