Botha's Reform Flashcards
(15 cards)
Why had Botha’s Total strategy failed?
- violent and larger protests
- pressure from global economic sanctions
- only solution was to negotiate with anti-Apartheid groups
Reasons for Failure of total strategy with stats
- economy weak, inflation 11% (1983) to 18% (1986)
- continued township violence
- Division within the government, whether to continue military or reform
Botha’s repealment of Apartheid laws
- Mixed Marriages Act 1985
- Pass Laws abolished in 1986
- Local authorities encouraged to desegregate public facilities
Blacks in the army and leases by 1978
Recruitment of blacks in military increase.
From1978, black residents were given 99 year leases
Botha’s constitution introduction
Introduced a new constitution in 1984, created the Tricameral parliament.
Approved 2 to 1 in a referendum.
Prime Minister became the President with executive powers
Tricameral Parliament
House of Assembly - 178 whites
House of Representation - 85 coloured
House of Delegates - 45 Indians
- whites still had majority and no black representation
- each council responsible for its own affairs, e.g. education, health, etc..
What changed with President vs PM?
- President elected by a college of voters, 50 whites, 25 coloured and 13 indians
- power to dissolve parliament
- power to appoint a cabinet from members of the three houses
National Party Congress in Durban
Botha would write his own speech.
15 Aug 1985, speech broadcasted to over 200 million people
- Long speech, stated ‘South Africa’s problems will be solve by South Africans’
- Known as ‘Rubicon speech’ (a decision which cant be reversed), but he failed to implement reform and cross the Rubicon.
Commonwealth people that came to South Africa
- Botha welcomed ‘Eminent Persons Group’ of Commonwealth head of state to visit Mandela.
- Report published in June 1986 and stated that SA was on the verge of a civil war
Gov meetings with Mandela
- Mandela refused an offer for freedom in 1985 on the condition that he would oppose violence.
- Mandela didn’t want any conditional offers as he wanted ANC legitimacy
- Mandela wrote privately to Minister of justice, Kbie Coetsee, asking for negotiations
- 1985 moved to a flat
Bombing by gov to other countries
Increased repression against ANC and PAC.
In 1986, the army bombed the capital of 3 countries ( Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe)
Botha’s neutralisation of threats from abroad
- Namibia under SA
- Agreement with Malawi
- Zimbabwe’s, Robert Mugabe cautious of SA
- Non-aggression pact with Swaziland (1982) and Mozambique (1984)
Non-military strategies by the government
- Sent parcel bombs in the 1980s.
- Assassinated Ruth First in 1982
- Army staged raids on ANC bases in Mozambique in 1981, 9183, 1987
- Lesotho, raid killed 42.
- Botswana, raid killed 12 in 1985
Why was change not seen as enough by many?
- Key Apartheid legislation still in place
- Petty Apartheid not fully repealed
- Townships were overcrowded and when councils increased rents there were violence
