F.W. de Klerk

Question 1

When did F.W. de Klerk replace Botha?

Answer 1

• 1989

Question 2

Describe de Klerk’s personality?

Answer 2

• Determined to protect Afrikaner interests
• Pragmatic in outlook
• Willing to take calculated risk
• Considers domestic and international contexts

Question 3

What was the main international context in 1989?

Answer 3

• Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Weakness of regional Marist groups in Africa

Question 4

What did the international contexts in 1989 mean for the regime?

Answer 4

• Confident that communists powers could not manipulate the ANC now
• Regime could no longer play the ‘Cold War card’ (claiming to be defending against communism to secure US support)

Question 5

Why did de Klerk propose reforms?

Answer 5

• Determined not to make the same mistake Ian Smith, leader of Rhodesia made, when he refused to negotiate with opposition groups, then he lost all power (Rhodesia became Marxist)
• Civil war seemed a real possibility
• Knew that white elite favoured reforms that would promote stability and economic prosperity, allowing wealthy whites to enjoy the benefits of globalisation

Question 6

What was de Klerk’s aims for the reforms?

Answer 6

• To preserve as much of Afrikaner power and prosperity as possible by reforming the system
• Gambled that ANC would fragment
• Balance he had to get right: how far (not) to go

Question 7

What did de Klerk do in his inaugural address in 1990?

Answer 7

• Outlined ‘New Course’
• Lifted the ban on the ANC, PAC and SACP
• Released Mandela and other activists
• Abolished censorship and the death penalty
• Partially lifted the state of emergency
• Most importantly: publicly committed the government to working towards a new democratic constitution and equal rights

Question 8

What was the reaction of de Klerk’s inaugural address?

Answer 8

• Strongly criticised by white extremist groups (tried to actively undermine them)
• Showed political courage by going further than previous Apartheid leaders, showing intent to concede some real political power

Question 9

What did de Klerk do in 1990?

Answer 9

• Repealed the Separate Amenities Act
• Main legal foundation of ‘petty apartheid’

Question 10

What happened in 1991?

Answer 10

• Population Registration Act and Group Areas Act were repealed
• de Klerk was the driving force

Question 11

What was the basic consequence of de Klerk’s reforms?

Answer 11

• Basic to the repeal of apartheid by 1991
• Legal basis for ‘petty apartheid’ was repealed and other key legislation

Question 12

What did the un-banning of the political parties mean?

Answer 12

• Release of Mandela and other opposition leaders
• Allowed talks (negotiations) to proceed openly

Question 13

In what ways was apartheid not dead in practice by 1991?

Answer 13

• State of emergency still partly in force
• Regime still had a lot of power under other legislations
• Off duty security forces were still very dangerous
• de Klerk used the resources of the state to maintain white supremacy in practice

Question 14

What were the difference in views of Mandela and de Klerk on democracy?

Answer 14

• Mandela: one person, one vote
• de Klerk: ‘power-sharing’ in which minority rights would be protected, power would be delegated rather than centralised, to protect areas where whites densely populated