Negotiated Settlement and Government of National Unity (Grade 12 NSC Matric History): Revision Notes

Negotiations Resume: The Road to Democracy

Multi-party negotiations resume

Between September 1992 and April 1993, the government and ANC negotiators took an important step by participating in bilateral discussions known as 'bosberaad' (meaning bush meetings). These private, intensive talks were crucial for building trust and understanding between the main negotiating parties.

During these six months of bilateral meetings, negotiators managed to agree on most of the major points that would form the foundation of South Africa's transition to democracy. However, these agreements still needed to be formally negotiated and approved through a proper Negotiating Forum that would include 19 of the most important political groups and parties in South Africa.

However, significant challenges remained. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), conservative and right-wing white groups, and the remaining Bantustan leaders of Ciskei and Bophuthatswana continued to strongly oppose the constitutional framework that was taking shape.

Violence threatens the negotiation process

Murder of Chris Hani

Hani, who served as Secretary-General of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and was a former Umkhonto we Sizwe Chief of Staff, was gunned down just as the Negotiating Forum was getting underway. A Polish immigrant, later discovered to be part of a right-wing plot, carried out the murder.

This assassination threatened to derail the entire peace process. The country braced itself for a wave of violence and revenge attacks. However, the long tradition of non-racialism within the democratic movement held firm, particularly after Nelson Mandela delivered a crucial speech that was broadcast on national television, calling for calm and unity.

The St James Church and Heidelberg Tavern massacres

On 25 July 1993, four members of the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) attacked a congregation at St James Church in Kenilworth, Cape Town, killing some worshippers and wounding many others.

In December of the same year, attackers using similar weapons killed four white people at the Heidelberg tavern in Cape Town. In 1998, when these attackers were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), they stated they were following orders and regarded all whites as legitimate targets.

These events only strengthened most negotiators' determination to work harder for a peaceful agreement.

Date of elections set

In response to the growing violence and uncertainty, the Negotiating Forum adopted a new spirit of urgency. In a historic decision, they set the date for South Africa's first democratic elections: 27 April 1994 - exactly one year from the time the decision was made.

To ensure the elections could take place successfully, the Forum began working on an interim constitution under which the first elections would be held. They also established three crucial institutions:

What was the Freedom Alliance?

Those who opposed the Interim Constitution came together to form the Freedom Alliance. This coalition represented the last major obstacle to democratic elections and included several key figures and groups:

Membership:

• Apartheid homeland leaders Lucas Mangope of Bophuthatswana and Oupa Gqozo of Ciskei
• Mangosuthu Buthelezi of KwaZulu
• Conservative Afrikaners led by General Constand Viljoen
• The extreme right-wing Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB), led by Eugène Terre'Blanche

The Freedom Alliance knew they would have no political support at a national level, so they demanded a federal system, hoping they could maintain power through strong provincial governments. The right-wing Afrikaners demanded an independent Afrikaner 'volkstaat', while the IFP demanded greater sovereignty for the Zulu kingdom. They made it clear they would boycott the elections if their demands were not met.

The Interim Constitution and Bill of Rights

To break the deadlock in negotiations, the Negotiating Forum made a crucial procedural change:

Finally, on 18 November 1993, an interim constitution and Bill of Rights were adopted.

The final road to democracy

Over the following months, there were desperate attempts to persuade the Freedom Alliance to drop their opposition to the elections. Some concessions were made, but they were not enough to satisfy the Alliance completely.

Ongoing violence continued to threaten the process:

• The fall of Bophuthatswana and Ciskei
• The shooting of IFP marchers in Johannesburg

As 1994 dawned, there was still no sign of agreement with the Freedom Alliance. The public became concerned that the South African army might support the homeland leaders and the Afrikaner right wing.

Crisis in Bophuthatswana

Chief Lucas Mangope asked General Constand Viljoen to send armed men to protect him from a possible uprising in Bophuthatswana. Viljoen proceeded to mobilise 4,000 armed men, but the extreme racist AWB, led by Eugène Terre'Blanche, also arrived and began shooting at bystanders.

The Bophuthatswana army turned against Mangope, and the occupying whites were forced to withdraw.

Outcomes

Several important results emerged from these events:

• The 'independent' homeland of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist
• The homeland government of Ciskei fell soon after
• Constand Viljoen, leader of many conservative Afrikaners, abandoned the option of military action and registered a political party called the Freedom Front to participate in the elections
• It seemed that the threat of right-wing military resistance was over
• The only significant party still opposed to elections was now the IFP

The position of the IFP

One month before the planned election, thousands of IFP supporters marched through central Johannesburg with their traditional red scarves, shields and spears to protest against the planned elections. Outside the ANC headquarters at Shell House, ANC security guards shot IFP marchers, supposedly in self-defence, though this was contested.

It appeared that hopes for a free election in KwaZulu-Natal were finished. However, one week before the election date, the IFP suddenly agreed to participate. Millions of stickers were hurriedly printed and stuck onto ballot papers to include the IFP.

Elections and Government of National Unity

Many people expected violence on 27 April 1994 when South Africans went to the polls for the first fully democratic election in the country's history. However, the opposite happened.

The vast majority of South African citizens queued patiently in a spirit of celebration and unity to vote for their representatives who would rule the country. Although there were claims of vote rigging and stuffed ballot boxes, especially from rural voting stations in KwaZulu-Natal and elsewhere, these issues caused delays in announcing results.

Three days before the results were finally announced, FW de Klerk conceded that the ANC had won the election. Mandela, in the interests of peace, accepted that the IFP had won in Natal.

Formation of the GNU

The first great achievement of the new democratic parliament was to draught a new Constitution. There were compromises on the detail of clauses, but there was agreement on most of the fundamental principles in the Constitution.

By the mid-1990s, most South Africans had come to understand that their rights were best protected by a constitution that protected the rights of all citizens and cultures, and did not treat any groups differently.

South African Constitution (1996)

Today, South Africa's Constitution is regarded as one of the most progressive and liberal constitutions in the world. It protects the rights of individual citizens and prevents abuse of power by any government.

However, the real work of transforming and rebuilding the country was only beginning.