The End of Apartheid and the Creation of the 'Rainbow Nation' - Topic 4.3 Flashcards
The process to political negotiations and compromise
What was de Klerk’s new course?
De Klerk was a cautious politician who was a politically astute conservative, thoroughly embedded in the National Party. He was suspicious of the complex constitutional arrangements that Botha had pursued under his agenda. He felt that the military and security forces had become too central in policy making and that Botha’s strategy had polarised the position. He reduced military budgets and curtailed the influence of the State Security Council and Joint Management Systems by the end of 1989.
How did de Klerk contrast Botha?
Botha had been forceful and ruthless. De Klerk was keener to find compromises and act as a political peacemaker. De Klerk clearly wished to seize the political initiative from opposition forces, to keep his Party in at the forefront of political changes, to win backing from the Afrikaans press, which had become critical of Botha.
How did foreign leaders change stance when de Klerk became President?
Reagan and Thatcher began pressuring South Africa to negotiate despite being conservative stalwarts, and with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the end of communist influence in Europe had been signalled. Gorbachev largely withdrew from Africa, and by late 1989, the Western need for a regional, anti-communist policeman declined.
What is the importance of the unbanning of political parties?
The ANC, the SACP and the PAC would be unbanned on 2nd February 1990. For so long the ANC was reliant on clandestine activism and was now able to organise publicly and establish itself as the legitimate alternative for a future South Africa. With Tambo ill, Mandela became acting president and was formally elected to the position in July 1991. Cyril Ramaphosa was elected secretary general and a significant attempt to bring the COSATU and UDF movements into the heart of the ANC was launched.
What is the importance of the release of Nelson Mandela?
Mandela was released the same day anti-apartheid political parties were unbanned, and Mandela had a slow walk to freedom from Victor Verster prison. Hand held by Winnie Mandela, his walk was televised internationally and provided a moment of religious intensity and political hope. He seemed to carry the promise of salvation. Mandela soon addressed a series of meetings, one in Cape Town and the other in Soweto. Over the next few months, he spent much of his time travelling, going to the UK twice in the time period, and trying to coordinate the ANC after its unbanning.
Mandela met with Thatcher in July 1990 despite adamant ANC opposition. He was keen to talk to opponents and believed that it was vital to do so.
How did the UDF and MDM benefit the ANC?
The movement had recruited 700,000 members. This was achieved through the folding of the UDF and MDM into the ANC. They continued as parallel movements during 1990 and the ANC was founding branches with most supporters of the UDF joining them.
What was the impact of the disbanning of the UDF?
With the UDF disbanning in 1991, the grassroots political organisation suffered and instead the South African National Civic Organisation was founded to provide a vehicle for the remaining civic and residents associations that had sprung up so widely in the 1980s, however it was weak and poorly organised.
How did the ANC interact with youth organisations?
The ANC absorbed many of the youthful comrades throughout the years. Peter Mokaba was a key member and a powerhouse in African student politics. He was a leading member in the UDF. His comrades were called the Young Lions and in the early 1990s used the chant ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer’ at mass meetings. This came from a liberation movement song and ANC spokesmen justified its use as metaphorical. The ANC Youth League had faded into exile and the youth were largely absorbed into MK. Mokaba played a key role in transforming the youth and student organisations into a revived ANC Youth League.
How did the ANC incorporate traditional authorities?
The ANC incorporated traditional authorities into its umbrella through the organisation of CONTRALESA in 1987. This provided a vehicle for chiefs who were sympathetic to the UDF or who originally supported the homeland period to now see the writing on the wall. Mandela, among others, was keen the prise chiefs away from the apartheid regime and felt they would add support to the ANC in the rural areas. By 1991, the ANC had successfully absorbed some of the key popular opposition forces.
What was the majority view held by whites in South Africa?
Many whites viewed that African loyalties were primarily ethnic or tribal, encouraged by the homeland policy. They were encouraged to believe that African people would divide on ethnic lines and perceived that violent conflict within African communities - ‘black on black’ violence, as it was called - was at least in part a result of this. National Party leaders had by this time recognised that the ANC commanded the largest support among black people. But the intensification of conflict in KwaZulu and Natal encouraged them to think that black communities were divided. They still saw the promise in Buthelezi and some other moderate black politicians and in Coloured and Indian politicians who had bought into the reform process.
How did negotiations begin between de Klerk and Mandela?
De Klerk revoked radical legislation such as the Separate Reservation of Amenities Act and breaches of the Group Areas Act were policed less fiercely. The ANC compromised in turn by suspending the armed struggle in August 1990. De Klerk was prepared to accept CP delegates as a significant compromise and admitted the system of separate development had not worked, but he did not apologise for apartheid. Having suspended armed struggle, the ANC felt sanctions remained an important negotiating tool.
How were negotiations hindered by de Klerk?
The ANC was keen to ensure freedom for political exiles and prisoners. They thought this had been assured and de Klerk agreed to lift the state of emergency in June 1990. De Klerk soon arrested members of the CP and MK, giving the reason that the ANC had reneged on its promise to suspend the armed struggle because they had not fully disbanded Operation Vula. The ANC argued publicly that they had suspended, bot abandoned, the armed struggle and wanted to be ready to resume should negotiations break down. These arrests were intended to split the ANC and CP.
How did disagreement cause problems in negotiations?
Disagreement about responsibility for violence within black communities undermined negotiations. Mandela and Buthelezi met in early 1991 in order to try to stem the violence in Natal. An accord was reached, but neither side adhered to it. In March 1991, 45 people were killed in three days of fighting in Alexandra, and soon afterwards police killed a further 12 on the east Rand. A month later, ANC relations with the government troughed and accused de Klerk of colluding with or even orchestrating the violence by police and vigilanties in order to divide black society and justify government control. The term ‘third force’ was used by the ANC to describe this hidden network of provocateurs linked to government security forces. Inkatha was founded to be trained directly by the Nationalists and the ANC suspended talks.
How did de Klerk try and bring the ANC back to the table in June 1991?
He revoked the Population Registration Act, the Native Land Act and the Group Areas Act. Black people could now purchase land in any part of South Africa. However, there was still an atmosphere of deep suspicion between the ANC and the Nationalists.
What came about of CODESA I in 1991?
Despite Mandela ceasing trust in de Klerk, all parties, including Buthelezi, felt they were being asked to give up too much. Nevertheless, all did agree to a first round of formal negotiations at the end of 1991 in a process called the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA). They met in the anodyne environment of the World Trade Centre in Joburg. The South Africa process was distinctive in that it didn’t involve external mediation and it incorporated a very wide range of political groupings. The public proceedings were not simply a negotiation between the ANC and the Nationalists. The government’s central was aim was still to devise a constitutional strategy that might protect minorities, and ideally create a constitutional veto in the hands of whites.
