Summary
Summary IEB Grade 12 History: The Coming of Democracy in South Africa (South Africa in the 1990s)
A complete summary of the coming of democracy in South Africa; The TRC and its outcome and everything in-between.
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Unit 1: The Beginning of the Solution:➔ The Cold War ended in 1989; the US & UK no longer had reason not to impose
sanctions and implemented economic sanctions
➔ The solution was not a revolution, but a negotiated settlement between opposing parties
Secret Negotiations with the ANC & Mandela
● In the 1980’s, the NP recognized the need to reform Apartheid. They did not want to
abandon it, but wanted to reduce the increasing violence and international disapproval
● In 1986, the ANC agreed to negotiate with the NP
○ This was not an easy decision, as ANC leaders could be accused of betraying
the revolution to negotiate with the “enemy”.
● From 1987 to 1989, two secret ANC/NP negotiation processes existed:
○ With Nelson Mandela in Cape Town
○ With the ANC (led by Thabo Mbeki) i n Britain
● In 1987, Mandela was moved to Victor Vester prison (a low-security prison)
● Mandela met PW Botha secretly at Tuynhuys (Cape Town office of Presidency)
● Botha refused further negotiations with the ANC, but then in January 1989 had a stroke
and resigned as leader of the NP, but remained President of the SA
○ He was succeeded by FW de Klerk, who took over negotiations with the ANC
○ This created a unique situation of dual leadership and led to a power struggle
within the NP, which was eventually solved by Botha's resigning in August 1989
● 20 September, 1989 - De Klerk was sworn in as State President and continued the
negotiations with the ANC
● The NIS (National Intelligence Service) represented the SA government in these
meetings. The NIS was led by Niel Barnard.
○ The meetings were to determine whether there was sufficient ground for future
peace talks
Unbanning of Organisations (1989-1991):
● In 1990, FW de Klerk unbanned the ANC & PAC and started formal negotiations
● The motivations for this act were:
○ The Gorbachev reforms in the USSR meant the banned ANC no longer had the
Soviet Union as a powerful supporter (the ANC had lost its main source of money
and arms), while the National Party could no longer convincingly claim to be
protecting SA against a communist 'total onslaught'
○ To halt increasing foreign pressure. As a result of the economic sanctions and
disinvestment targeting SA in the later 1980s, the country was in the deepest
financial crisis in its history
○ Because of mounting pressures from businesses due to disinvestment
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,Release of Political Prisoners:
● FW de Klerk decided to release Mandela & other political prisoners shortly after
unbanning various political parties.
● The release of political prisoners was highly politicised and affected other resistance
movements too
● October 1989 saw the first unconditional release of political prisoners, including Walter
Sisulu and Raymond Mhlaba
○ Releases were phased according to the severity of the crime
● The ANC & NP kept negotiating the release of political prisoners throughout the years of
negotiation
● Throughout Aparthied, the Black Sash Movement held many non-violent demonstrations.
This movement was confirmtion of white resistance to the Apartheid system.
Release of Mandela:
● The ANC began a campaign in the early 1980’s to have Mandela released
● There was much international support for this (Mandela was internationally famous)
● 111 February, 1990 - Mandela was released after 27 years in prison
Talks about Talks:
● 4 May, 1990 - Groote Schuur Minute:
○ A commitment to resolve violence
○ Exiles allowed to return; political prisoners released
○ Lifting the state of emergency; removing repressive laws
● 6 August, 1990 - Pretoria Minute:
○ Release all political prisoners, indemnify returning exiles from prosecution
○ ANC (Umkhonto we Size) suspend the armed struggle
● 14 September, 1991 - The National Peace Accord (NPA):
○ Critical step to formal negotiations
○ 27 political organisations signed it
○ Facilitated negotiations between political forces
○ Agreed that the SADF & the police force would be transformed
Operation Vula: The ANC's insurance policy in case negotiations failed. It was a group that
directed armed activists within South Africa. In July 1990, top leaders of Operation Vula were
arrested. Operation Vula fell away with the agreement at the Pretoria Minute
The ANC giving up the Armed Struggle:
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, ● August, 1990 - Joe Slovo (the previous head of the SACP) suggested the ANC suspend
the armed struggle
○ This would show the ANC’s willingness to negotiate and was in the interest of
moving towards a settlement. It was an important decision for the ANC to make
● Mandela agreed with this statement and pushed the ANC towards the notion
● This decision was announced at the signing of the Pretoria Minute
○ The negotiations would not have continued for much longer without this decision
● However, it was a difficult decision because the concept of an armed struggle was a
powerful symbol for uniting the oppressed
○ Militancy was for some an essential part of the struggle for liberation
Chris Hani’s Objections to the Talks:
● Chris Hani was the leader of the South African Communist Party (SACP)
● Hani had the support of the militants (the radical anti-Aparthied youth)
○ Hani’s support of the negotiations was important because of this
● Hani’s objection to the talks about talks was because he would not rule out the use of
violence to end Apartheid
○ He believed that the capacity to fight must be kept in reserve in case the talks
failed
CODESA I:
● 20 December, 1991 - The Convention For a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) was set
up
● CODESA was put together as the final and formal part of negotiations
○ It focused as a forum to negotiate the transformation to a national constitution &
democratic elections
● Committees were appointed to deal with specific issues; the first session took place in
Joburg and lasted 7 days
● The right-wing Conservative Party and the left-wing PAC boycotted CODESA
● CODESA I ended in dramatic fashion when De Klerk attacked the ANC for maintaining
arms caches while Mandela argued that the ANC would only give up its weapons when it
had become part of the government that was collecting those weapons
● CODESA I adjourned, leaving five negotiating groups to work out detailed agreements
before the next full meeting
The Role of the Labour Movement in Negotiations:
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