SA in the 1990's (Grade 12) (Incomplete) Flashcards
(29 cards)
What was the SA’n situation in 1989?
National Party (NP) in power
Black people had no vote
ANC banned for 30 years
Leaders in exile or jail:
O.R. Tambo, Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma
(exile), Mandela (jail)
Tension and suspicion
What was the end result in 1994?
Negotiations and compromise resulted in a
settlement
Major conflict avoided
NP rule ended after 46 years
ANC won majority in first democratic election
SA had liberal and widely respected new
constitution
SA’s focus during this time was on balance. What was this balance between?
NEGOTIATIONS/PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT VS
CONFLICT/VIOLENCE
Give some context to the 1990’s. What did the late 80’s look like?
Lots of pressure on the NP.
Government mix of harsh repression and weak reforms failed
Internal mass resistance 🡪 demonstrated strength of resistance movement
International isolation and sanctions 🡪 economy badly effected by sanctions and
disinvestment
Military defeat in Angola 🡪 reassessment of military strength
Collapse of communism and end of Cold War 🡪 ‘total onslaught’ no longer valid
Critical skills shortage due to Bantu Education and school boycotts 🡪 hurting economy
Pressure on the NP led to what changes at the end of the 80’s?
PW Botha forced to step down as leader
FW de Klerk took over (Sept 1989)
🡪 Realised urgent need for change
NP wanted to control the pace of change and
try retain some power
Believed that ANC was weak after 30 year ban, but needed to be included to help solve the SA crisis
What happened in 1985 in the context of the ANC’s resistance?
business leaders met ANC in Lusaka,
Zambia
* Led by Gavin Relly (Anglo-America)
* Met with O.R. Tambo
What happened in 1987 in the context of the ANC’s resistance?
1987: liberal Afrikaners met ANC in Dakar,
Senegal
* Led by Van Zyl Slabbert
* Met with Thabo Mbeki
What was happening to Mandela during the 80’s?
1982: Mandela moved from Robben Island to Pollsmoor prison
1985: secret talks between Mandela and government. Mandela rejected any offer of conditional release
1988: Mandela moved to Victor Verster prison in Paarl – had a house on the grounds
During 1989:
* Secret meeting between Mandela & PW Botha
* Secret meeting between Mandela and FW de Klerk
* Many political prisoners released (most of the Rivonia trialists except Mandela)
1990-1991 marked the..?
start of negotiations
What surprise announcement did de Klerk make? When?
2 Feb 1990:
Unbanning of ANC, PAC and SACP
Release of political prisoners (including
Mandela - unconditional)
Easing of restriction, bannings and
censorships
Suspension of death penalty
Willingness to negotiate
When was the release of Mandela?
11 February 1990: Mandela released!
* Welcomed by huge crowds and world media
* Visited ANC leaders in Lusaka
* Repeated ANC’s willingness to negotiate
* Visited 13 African, European and North American countries
* Saw political leaders and exiled South Africans
* Urged Western leaders to maintain sanctions
*Other political prisoners released, but not those govt considered had committed crimes
* Hunger strike by prisoners on Robben Island
* ANC refused to start negotiations before their release
* Finally more released (by 1991, nearly 1000 released)
What problems were the ANC facing after their unbanning?
Banned for 30 years so had to build up organisational structures
Needed to change from a liberation movement to a political party
Differences of opinion among leaders over ideology and tactics
e.g. Hani agreed that armed struggle should be called off – others didn’t
Possible clashes between returning exiles and leaders in SA:
* Exiles believed they had carried the burden of struggle
* Local leaders resented that their efforts were being overlooked
* 3 groups of leaders: exiles; prisoners; UDF
What problems were the NP facing as negotiations began?
Right-wing members leaving to join Conservative Party or AWB (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging)
* Leader of CP = Andries Treurnicht
* Leader of AWB = Eugene Terre’blanche
Fears that army and police would use force to prevent change
Some wanted to form alliances with Inkatha and homeland leaders to share power
* Inkatha = rival political organisation in KwaZulu – led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi
What problems was SA facing at the start of negotiations outside of that of the ANC and NP?
Poverty and unemployment in townships had reached desperate levels
Violence between Inkatha and ANC supporters (especially in Natal)
Tensions in Rand townships between migrant workers living in hostels and residents
Suspicions of involvement of ‘third force’ in stirring up violence (members of police and army)
Why were planned talks in 1990 called off?
April 1990: Planned talks called off by ANC after Sebokeng killings (Township in south of JHB)
Clashes between police and township residents (14 people killed and 380 wounded)
Government forced to make concessions:
* Commission of Inquiry (under Justice Richard Goldstone) to investigate police involvement
Judicial Commission later confirmed involvement
of police – existence of ‘third force’
* Troops sent to Natal to stop violence
* Temporary indemnity (exemption from prosecution) to ANC exiles involved in talks
i.e. could participate in talks even if there were criminal charges against them
What were the first negotiations? When were they?
The Groote Schuur Minute, May 1990: first talks held at Groote Schuur in Cape Town (President’s residence in Rondebosch). Groote Schuur minute announced agreement on most issues and commitment to continue talks
What obstacles to negotiations were discussed at the Groote Schuur Minute?
- Security legislation (e.g. Powers of police)
- Troops in townships
- State of emergency
- On-going violence
- Position of homelands
- Political prisoners
- Armed struggle
- Economic sanctions
- Return of exiles (including ANC president, Oliver Tambo)
What was the second negotiation? When was it?
The Pretoria Minute, August 1990
What agreements were made at the Pretoria Minute?
ANC agreed to suspend armed struggle
Government lifted state of emergency (had given government extra powers to maintain ‘law and order’)
What happened despite the agreements made at the Pretoria Minute?
Agreement failed to stop violence – especially in KZN:
* Battles between Inkatha and ANC supporters in Natal
* Activities of ‘third force’ in townships
* Stirring up tensions, terror and violence
* Evidence showed secret funding of Inkatha by government
* People doubted the intentions of government – questioned their sincerity
Why was there conflict at the Pretoria Minute?
A major difference of opinion between ANC and NP about a new constitution:
* ANC wanted majority rule under constitution drawn up by a constituent assembly
* Government wanted power-sharing; leading role for NP; protection of minority rights (= ‘white rights’)
What does CODESA stand for? What was it?
Convention for a Democratic South Africa. Essentially peace talks/negotiations.
When did the CODESA talks begin?
December 1991.
Who attended CODESA (and more norably, who did not)?
19 parties, 300 delegates. Conservative Party (CP), PAC and AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organisation) did not attend (wanted to wreck negotiations).
