This fragmentation of black unity can be traced to three separate sets of factors. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, black political opinion was shocked by the National Party's 1948 victory and by the baaskap policies and hard-line apartheid measures which they introduced. The National Party's drive after their 1948 victory to eliminate all black, Coloured and Indian influences in the parliamentary process of the country infuriated black political leaders. Under National Party rule Coloureds were removed from the voter's roll; the old system of native representation in parliament was abolished and hopes of the eventual inclusion of blacks in the parliamentary process were destroyed. The National Party's racist policies and their refusal to tolerate democratic black opposition as shown in the increasing role which the South African Police began to play in the country's political situation, and the enactment of one Draconian law after another, hardened black attitudes and gave rise to increased black/white political polarisation. Blacks had to reassess their political priorities and had to re-examine their tactics and strategies.

Black politics was thrown into turmoil both by government action and by internal strife.  Faced with ever-increasing white political hostility, feelings of disillusionment and anger emerged amongst blacks and suggestion and counter-suggestion were made in which the country's accepted black leadership were put under pressure and often censured. Those who aspired to leadership positions took advantage of the situation of black political flux and change to make claims to leadership roles in existing organisations, or to establish themselves as leaders of action groups outside the dominant African National Congress. As is the case in situations of deepening political crisis, analysis and re-analysis took place and traditional black political values were questioned, and at times rejected.

In these circumstances a second set of factors began emerging. Disputes about policy priorities and about tactics and strategies thus gave rise to internal organisational conflicts and conflicts between black political organisations. Leadership crisis emerged as old leaders were challenged and a new rung of leadership began to emerge. A new element of political competitiveness entered the scene.

The ANC had been accustomed to providing the political father figures to South African politics and was intolerant of the emergence of any other black political organisation. blacks had experienced just how fragile political alliances were during the years of the Congress Alliance after 1954. Instead of the Congress Alliance providing the to show the degree of animosity the ANC felt towards the PAC.