THE COMING OF DEMOCRACY IN
SOUTH AFRICA
BACKGROUND
SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ANC-IN-EXILE
Became increasingly clear to white business leaders and politicians that the ANC
could be ignored if a solution to South Africa’s problems were to be found.
September 1985 – group of prominent business leaders led by Gavin Relly
Chairman of the Anglo-American Corporation met Oliver Tambo and other ANC
leaders in Lusaka, Zambia.
1987- Fredrick Van Zyl Slabbert leader of the Progressive Federal Party led a
delegation of 61 (Afrikaner businessmen, academics and professionals) to Dakar
Senegal to meet a 17-person delegate of ANC members led by Thabo Mbeki.
Meeting focused on strategies to bring about a major fundamental shift
in the management of South Africa. Focused on the structure of the
government, the economy and the building of national unity were
discussed – these talks = turning point in S.A history.
Influential people began to accept that the ANC played a crucial role in
determining South Africa’s future even though it was banned.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH MANDELA
Both internal and external pressure and the country being on the verge of civil
war led to P.W. Botha to deploy minster of Justice, Kobee Coestee and began
exploratory talks with Mandela from his cell.
Meeting focus = ANC’s armed struggle and the continuing violence
Nelson Mandela rejected any offer of release unless it was unconditional.
It was clear to the government that there would be no solution to the crises
faced by South Africa while Mandela remained in jail.
MANDELA JAIL TIMELINE
1964 – Sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island.
1982 – Moved to Pollsmoor Prison
1988 – Moved to prison house on the grounds of Victor Verster after being
diagnosed with TB.
1990 TO 1991
, FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNBANNING OF RESISTANCE ORGANISATIONS AND THE RELEASE OF
NELSON MANDELA
INTERNATIONAL CHANGES THE BATTLE OF CUITO CUANVALE AND THE
Cold war had ended, and INDEPENDENCE OF NAMIBIA
international tensions were
relaxed. 1987 – South African defence force
The USA and the USSR signed an and UNITA launched a major attack
agreement in 1987 to reduce in South Eastern Angola. Met with
nuclear weapons. strong resistance from Angolan and
The overthrow of most communist Cuban forces
led regimes in Eastern Europe in After a series of meetings, Cubans
1989 and Angolans got the South
The collapse of the Berlin Wall in Africans to withdraw SADF troops.
1989
The focus on dialogue in solving Namibia became independent in
problems rather than military 1990.
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
NP LOSING SUPPORT
Economy was in crisis after
1987 election: NP losing support
impositions of international
results = NP 52%, Conservative
sanctions and disinvestments of
Party (26%) and PFP 14%
capital by both the USA, the
CP = more popular because of its
Commonwealth and Nordic
narrow race policies
countries
1986: economy was growing at 1%
but population was growing 2.3%
caused deepening of poverty and
intensified political instability.
INTENSIFIED VIOLENCE AND STRIFE POPULARITY AND TALKS WITH THE ANC
Call by the ANC to make country NP feared popularity of ANC.
ungovernable led to intensified Wanted to establish connections
resistance by MDM against with other black political
apartheid state from 1985. organisations like Inkatha to break
State employed strong armed power of ANC.
tactics to stifle democratic
organisation like the UDF and Many white politicians and
COSATU. businessmen were having talks
with ANC in exile and they now
Resistance movements responded realised that they could work with
by embarking on stay-away, strikes, them in a new dispensation.
UNBANNING OF ORGANISATION
The process of reform started with a surprise announcement by F.W DE Klerk in February
1990. This provided the breakthrough, but it was not certain that there would be a
SOUTH AFRICA
BACKGROUND
SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ANC-IN-EXILE
Became increasingly clear to white business leaders and politicians that the ANC
could be ignored if a solution to South Africa’s problems were to be found.
September 1985 – group of prominent business leaders led by Gavin Relly
Chairman of the Anglo-American Corporation met Oliver Tambo and other ANC
leaders in Lusaka, Zambia.
1987- Fredrick Van Zyl Slabbert leader of the Progressive Federal Party led a
delegation of 61 (Afrikaner businessmen, academics and professionals) to Dakar
Senegal to meet a 17-person delegate of ANC members led by Thabo Mbeki.
Meeting focused on strategies to bring about a major fundamental shift
in the management of South Africa. Focused on the structure of the
government, the economy and the building of national unity were
discussed – these talks = turning point in S.A history.
Influential people began to accept that the ANC played a crucial role in
determining South Africa’s future even though it was banned.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH MANDELA
Both internal and external pressure and the country being on the verge of civil
war led to P.W. Botha to deploy minster of Justice, Kobee Coestee and began
exploratory talks with Mandela from his cell.
Meeting focus = ANC’s armed struggle and the continuing violence
Nelson Mandela rejected any offer of release unless it was unconditional.
It was clear to the government that there would be no solution to the crises
faced by South Africa while Mandela remained in jail.
MANDELA JAIL TIMELINE
1964 – Sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island.
1982 – Moved to Pollsmoor Prison
1988 – Moved to prison house on the grounds of Victor Verster after being
diagnosed with TB.
1990 TO 1991
, FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNBANNING OF RESISTANCE ORGANISATIONS AND THE RELEASE OF
NELSON MANDELA
INTERNATIONAL CHANGES THE BATTLE OF CUITO CUANVALE AND THE
Cold war had ended, and INDEPENDENCE OF NAMIBIA
international tensions were
relaxed. 1987 – South African defence force
The USA and the USSR signed an and UNITA launched a major attack
agreement in 1987 to reduce in South Eastern Angola. Met with
nuclear weapons. strong resistance from Angolan and
The overthrow of most communist Cuban forces
led regimes in Eastern Europe in After a series of meetings, Cubans
1989 and Angolans got the South
The collapse of the Berlin Wall in Africans to withdraw SADF troops.
1989
The focus on dialogue in solving Namibia became independent in
problems rather than military 1990.
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
NP LOSING SUPPORT
Economy was in crisis after
1987 election: NP losing support
impositions of international
results = NP 52%, Conservative
sanctions and disinvestments of
Party (26%) and PFP 14%
capital by both the USA, the
CP = more popular because of its
Commonwealth and Nordic
narrow race policies
countries
1986: economy was growing at 1%
but population was growing 2.3%
caused deepening of poverty and
intensified political instability.
INTENSIFIED VIOLENCE AND STRIFE POPULARITY AND TALKS WITH THE ANC
Call by the ANC to make country NP feared popularity of ANC.
ungovernable led to intensified Wanted to establish connections
resistance by MDM against with other black political
apartheid state from 1985. organisations like Inkatha to break
State employed strong armed power of ANC.
tactics to stifle democratic
organisation like the UDF and Many white politicians and
COSATU. businessmen were having talks
with ANC in exile and they now
Resistance movements responded realised that they could work with
by embarking on stay-away, strikes, them in a new dispensation.
UNBANNING OF ORGANISATION
The process of reform started with a surprise announcement by F.W DE Klerk in February
1990. This provided the breakthrough, but it was not certain that there would be a
