The End of Apartheid and the Creation of the 'Rainbow Nation' - Topic 4.4 Flashcards
The new political settlement for 'rainbow' South Africa
To what extent did CODESA I hinder reaching a settlement by 1994?
De Klerk spoke last at the opening ceremony to CODESA I, Mandela claiming he agreed to this, and de Klerk started with condemning the ANC for failing to disband MK and remaining committed to violence. Mandela, incensed, broke protocol and strode onto the podium and lambasted de Klerk for misusing the agreement to have the last word. He claimed the government was perpetuating violence and conflict. secretly funding covert organisations and facilitating Inkatha’s vigilanties.
To what extent did CODESA I help reach a settlement by 1994?
CODESA agreed to a single, undivided nation, a multi-party democracy with a universal non-racial franchise, a bill of rights, separation of powers and an end to racial discrimination. Private property, land and other assets, would be protected. There would be a transitional executive council and an independent electoral commission. The Nationalists still wanted a veto over any constitutional proposals by insisting that a 75% majority in Parliament should be required.
Why was federalism an issue during CODESA I?
Inkatha tried to entrench the position of Buthelezi. He argued for a strong federal system. The Democratic Party thought that this system would limit centralised power and were attracted to the idea. Many Afrikaners thought that even if they could not win a majority, they might, with conservative black allies, achieve influence in some regions. The Afrikaner right explored the idea of federalism being racially based, but the ANC would never agree to federalism full stop.
Why was CODESA I suspended?
The disagreements that transpired during CODESA I led to the suspension of the programme. De Klerk held a whites only referendum, coming back with 69% of the white electorate supporting de Klerk’s actions. De Klerk aimed to diffuse the Conservative Party and was important in returning focus back on apartheid and recognising that the Nationalists would have to give up power and privilege. The ANC opposed the referendum, but recognised that it was an important win for de Klerk.
What transpired when CODESA II was called?
Reassembled in May 1992, CODESA quickly collapsed due to violence undermining negotiations. The Boipatong massacre led to the ANC thinking that the government was doing little to control such violence in the hope it would divide African communities. This reinforced the ANC belief that armed struggle needed to maintain to some degree but also that mass demonstrations and stayaways were essential to keep political initiative. The ANC still targeted homeland governments, fixed on Ciskei. Brigadier Gqozo, whom taken power in a coup in 1990, shot at a march of 80,000 people, led by Chris Hani. The SADF were present, but did nothing.
How did the PAC fare after being unbanned?
The PAC’s armed wing was successful in recruiting locally and rejected the negotiations. The APLA staged a number of dramatic attacks on white civilian targets, including a pub in Cape where five were killed and a church in Cape Town. The PAC was alientating itself from black South Africans.
What happened when multi-party talks were restored in 1993?
Cyril Ramaphosa from the ANC and Roelf Meyer from the NP built a strong personal link during talks. After Chris Hani was assassinated in April 1993, South Africa truly stood on the edge at that moment, with the possibility of a mass armed uprising. Mandela made a televised address, successfully appealing for calm, but the abyss of uncontrolled violence and civil war was still blatant.
What constitutional agreements were made from 1993?
A Multi-Party Negotiating Forum was established in April to take up the agreements reached at CODESA and it quickly formed a Negotiating Council and six technical committees. By June, they were able to set a date for non-racial democratic elections for April 1994. The Transitional Executive Committee in September which began to take control of government. This accorded with the Nationalists’ aim of power sharing rather than a transfer of power, but this was temporary. In the meantime, parties negotiated a detailed interim constitution. In November, de Klerk and Mandela were awarded Nobel Peace Prizes.
What concessions were made in the final constitutional arrangements?
A fairly centralised, unitary state and non-racial universal franchise was established. All adults had the vote. Based on proportional representation and national party lists, the electoral system favoured big parties but arguably the ANC could have done better if it had pursued a constituency-based system. The Nationalists wanted an extended transition period with a rotating presidency, but to keep the peace, this was abandoned. The ANC agreed to an interim Government of National Unity, which would incorporate all the major parties, with 5% of the vote, for up to five years after the first election. White civil servants were given guaranteed pensions and the ANC wanted to africanise the civil service so needed to encourage whites to retire. The president was given considerable power too.
What was the outcome of the 1994 Election?
There was no time to develop a voters’ roll and an identity card was all that was needed. Although there were some recorded irregularities, all parties agreed the outcome was reasonable. The ANC won 62.6% of the vote, including the great majority of non-Zulu speaking Africans. The CP and COSATU were behind the ANC as a part of the Tripartite Alliance. The Nationalists won 20.4% of the vote, Inkatha won 10.5%. Support for right wing Afrikaners dropped to 425k from 600k, translating to 2% of the vote for the Freedom Front. The Democratic Party won 1.7% of the vote and the PAC won 1.25%. The ANC won 7 out of the 9 new provinces, with the Nationalists winning Western Cape and Inkatha winning KwaZulu-Natal.
How did South Africa fare in the short term with the new constitution?
Mandela became president with de Klerk and Mbeki was deputies. The compromises made in the negotiations ensured that, in short, South Africa experienced a political transition rather than a revolution. For some of those who had been involved in the struggle against apartheid, this was not a sufficiently dramatic transformation, and whites seemed to be left with too much influence and too much control of the commanding heights of the economy.
What progress did the ANC make after winning the election?
The ANC were able to dismantle the remains of apartheid and pass a great range of legislation. They quickly passed a Restiution of Land Rights Act, designed to compensate for the worst examples of forced removal from land, and a Truth and Reconciliation Act, designed to research and expose the worst excesses of apartheid. COSATU secured legislation favourable to the unions and organised labour. Black workers experienced rising living standards and gained enhanced rights. State employment was rapidly Africanised to provide new opportunities for hundreds of thousands of black people. These measures benefited employed and educated people, but with unemployment at over 25%, and deep rural poverty, many fell outside their reach. The ANC prioritised social spending on housing, education, health and welfare, particularly state pensions, in an attempt to address poverty and inequality.
Where did South Africa re-join the international community?
International investment returned and economic boycotts were ended. South Africa was allowed to compete in the sporting arena again and hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995, winning it, and the 1999 Cricket World Cup. South Africa was readmitted into several regional and global initiatives including the Commonwealth and the African Union and in August 1994, South Africa became a member of the Southern African Development Community.
