Background to the Beginning of the Solution
Why the National Party Changed its Approach ANC Under Pressure From
• By 1989: The NP government experienced increasing pressure: • Harare Declaration
○ Internal resistance • Loss of MK bases in Angola
○ Intensified armed struggle. • Loss of financial and logistical support
○ International anti-apartheid movement
○ Intensified sanctions and boycotts by the international community.
○ Economy was in recession.
• The NP also thought the ANC was weak from the collapse of communism and loss of funding from the USSR.
• President Botha had opposed change but was replaced by De Klerk in 1989 who then went on to adopt a different
approach to address crises.
Secret Negotiations with ANC in Exile and White Business Leaders & Afrikaners
Who and Why
• White South African civilians chose to engage with the ANC.
○ Verligte Afrikaners : Enlightened and liberal Afrikaners
○ White business leaders.
• Purpose: To work together to find a solution to SA's problems and build a climate of trust.
Meetings
1. 1985: Business leaders met with the ANC in Lusaka, Zambia - led by Gavin Relly of the Anglo-American Group.
2. 1987: Verligte Afrikaners met with the ANC in Dakar, Senegal - led by Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert of the
Progressive Federal Party (opposition party).
• 1988-1990: 12 secret meetings between ANC leaders and NP government to discuss conditions for talks to begin at
Mells Park House, Britain.
Significance
• Influential white South Africans recognised that a banned organisation - the ANC - were critical to process of
negotiations and ending crisis.
Harare Declaration
• Adopted by OAU.
• Stated that a combination of circumstances exist that could end apartheid as long as a non-racial and democratic state
was agreed upon and negotiations could take place in a suitable climate.
Negotiations with Mandela
Talks Begin Under Botha: The Issue of Conditional Release
• Even under Botha, the NP understood Mandela was key to ending apartheid and had initiated secret talks with him in
1985.
• Botha demanded for Mandela to abandon the armed struggle to be released.
○ The armed struggle was not created to secure democracy with violence, but rather to force the NP to
negotiate.
○ Tried to drive a wedge between him and ANC members as well as Oliver Tambo.
• Mandela rejected any offer of release unless it was unconditional.
○ His daughter, Zindzi Mandela, spoke on his behalf at a UDF rally against the proposal of a conditional release -
"My Father Speech"
○ Mandela would not accept his own release if the ANC remained banned.
Meetings
• 1989: Mandela met head of SA's National Intelligence Service, Niel Barnard. They then met many more times until
1990.
• 1989: Met Botha once.
• 1989: De Klerk met with Mandela in Victor Verster Prison.
• He used his status as an anti-apartheid to achieve more than just his own freedom.
Imprisonment Journey
• 1964: Started serving his life sentence on Robben Island.
• 1982: Mandela transferred to Pollsmoor Prison.
• 1988: Moved to Victor Verster Prison.
• 11 February 1990: Released from Victor Verster Prison.
• His daughter, Zindzi Mandela, spoke on his behalf at a UDF rally against the conditional release of Mandela - "My
Father Speech"
Mandela's Actual Release Significance
• On his release, he called to intensify pressure until government was forced to abandon apartheid.
• He used his status as an anti-apartheid to achieve more than just his own freedom.
, Early Signs of Change
De Klerk's Reforms
• 15 October 1989: De Klerk released many long-term prisoners on unconditional release, including the Rivonia Trialists
(e.g. Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada).
Unbanning Speech & Prisoner Release
- Held on 2 February 1990
• Unbanning of ANC, PAC and SACP + another 33 organisations - like the UDF and COSATU.
• Mandela to be released unconditionally.
○ He made the government wait a few days so that he would be released in Cape Town and so that his people would
have time to prepare.
• Death penalty suspended (for political prisoners who were on death row).
• Restrictions, banning orders and censorship were eased.
Mandela's Release : 11 February 1990
• He had first refused to be released until it was unconditional and all his fellow prisoners had been released first.
• De Klerk had hoped that Mandela would call to end sanctions and the armed struggle on his release - he did not.
○ First address in Cape Town
○ Called for intensification from people to end apartheid.
• After his release, the NP heightened talks with the ANC.
• August 1990: Mandela was appointed as president of the ANC
Limitations to Reform
• Upon Mandela's release: He called for the release of ALL political prisoners (later caused conflict in negotiations)
○ Those convicted of violence - including terrorism, murder and arson were not released.
○ Crimes had been committed to advance anti-apartheid struggle.
- Prisoners on Robben Island embarked on a hunger strike.
- Process of releasing prisoners was extremely slow.
Why De Klerk Suddenly Abandoned Apartheid
- Apartheid had become untenable and ungovernable.
• Cold War ended and USSR was on the verge of collapse (Do not say USSR had collapsed because that had not yet
happened),
○ The perceived threat of communism to justify apartheid was defunct.
○ Assumed ANC would be weak after being banned for 30 years and from loss of financial and military aid.
• Enormous pressure from white businessmen to initiate political change to improve floundering economy.
• De Klerk assumed that by initiating the negotiation process, he could push for power sharing to safeguard white South
Africans' interests.
• There was a notion that the ANC might not win the next election if the NP and Inkatha formed an alliance.
• NP was losing support to the white right wing.
Problems Facing Each Party
Problems Facing the National Party
• De Klerk knew that he was under threat from the right-wing - who had long opposed communism after perceived
communist parties were unbanned.
• Conservative Party was gaining popularity amongst whites in by-elections
○ By-elections are significant because they indicate a trend - Happen after a change.
• Some NP leaders hoped to keep power through an alliance with Inkatha.
• Some non-parliamentary extremist white right-winged groupings tried to destablise the country (e.g.
AWB)
Problems Facing the ANC
• Differences in opinions and tactics between members who had been imprisoned, exiled and active in other
organisations in the 1980s.
• Clashes with AZAPO and Inkatha continued because young black youth did not see ANC as militant enough.
• Winne Madikizela Mandela : Made Nelson Mandela's position problematic.
○ She was banished to Brandfort and had developed a popular following, but spoke out against trusting de
Klerk.
○ In the 1980s, she actively spoke in favour of violence.
○ 1990: Charged with complicity in the killing of Stompie Moeketsi.
○ 18 months after Mandela was released, they got divorced.
• Albie Sachs : He said at 1990, SA was the epitome of division, repression and injustice.
Why the National Party Changed its Approach ANC Under Pressure From
• By 1989: The NP government experienced increasing pressure: • Harare Declaration
○ Internal resistance • Loss of MK bases in Angola
○ Intensified armed struggle. • Loss of financial and logistical support
○ International anti-apartheid movement
○ Intensified sanctions and boycotts by the international community.
○ Economy was in recession.
• The NP also thought the ANC was weak from the collapse of communism and loss of funding from the USSR.
• President Botha had opposed change but was replaced by De Klerk in 1989 who then went on to adopt a different
approach to address crises.
Secret Negotiations with ANC in Exile and White Business Leaders & Afrikaners
Who and Why
• White South African civilians chose to engage with the ANC.
○ Verligte Afrikaners : Enlightened and liberal Afrikaners
○ White business leaders.
• Purpose: To work together to find a solution to SA's problems and build a climate of trust.
Meetings
1. 1985: Business leaders met with the ANC in Lusaka, Zambia - led by Gavin Relly of the Anglo-American Group.
2. 1987: Verligte Afrikaners met with the ANC in Dakar, Senegal - led by Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert of the
Progressive Federal Party (opposition party).
• 1988-1990: 12 secret meetings between ANC leaders and NP government to discuss conditions for talks to begin at
Mells Park House, Britain.
Significance
• Influential white South Africans recognised that a banned organisation - the ANC - were critical to process of
negotiations and ending crisis.
Harare Declaration
• Adopted by OAU.
• Stated that a combination of circumstances exist that could end apartheid as long as a non-racial and democratic state
was agreed upon and negotiations could take place in a suitable climate.
Negotiations with Mandela
Talks Begin Under Botha: The Issue of Conditional Release
• Even under Botha, the NP understood Mandela was key to ending apartheid and had initiated secret talks with him in
1985.
• Botha demanded for Mandela to abandon the armed struggle to be released.
○ The armed struggle was not created to secure democracy with violence, but rather to force the NP to
negotiate.
○ Tried to drive a wedge between him and ANC members as well as Oliver Tambo.
• Mandela rejected any offer of release unless it was unconditional.
○ His daughter, Zindzi Mandela, spoke on his behalf at a UDF rally against the proposal of a conditional release -
"My Father Speech"
○ Mandela would not accept his own release if the ANC remained banned.
Meetings
• 1989: Mandela met head of SA's National Intelligence Service, Niel Barnard. They then met many more times until
1990.
• 1989: Met Botha once.
• 1989: De Klerk met with Mandela in Victor Verster Prison.
• He used his status as an anti-apartheid to achieve more than just his own freedom.
Imprisonment Journey
• 1964: Started serving his life sentence on Robben Island.
• 1982: Mandela transferred to Pollsmoor Prison.
• 1988: Moved to Victor Verster Prison.
• 11 February 1990: Released from Victor Verster Prison.
• His daughter, Zindzi Mandela, spoke on his behalf at a UDF rally against the conditional release of Mandela - "My
Father Speech"
Mandela's Actual Release Significance
• On his release, he called to intensify pressure until government was forced to abandon apartheid.
• He used his status as an anti-apartheid to achieve more than just his own freedom.
, Early Signs of Change
De Klerk's Reforms
• 15 October 1989: De Klerk released many long-term prisoners on unconditional release, including the Rivonia Trialists
(e.g. Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada).
Unbanning Speech & Prisoner Release
- Held on 2 February 1990
• Unbanning of ANC, PAC and SACP + another 33 organisations - like the UDF and COSATU.
• Mandela to be released unconditionally.
○ He made the government wait a few days so that he would be released in Cape Town and so that his people would
have time to prepare.
• Death penalty suspended (for political prisoners who were on death row).
• Restrictions, banning orders and censorship were eased.
Mandela's Release : 11 February 1990
• He had first refused to be released until it was unconditional and all his fellow prisoners had been released first.
• De Klerk had hoped that Mandela would call to end sanctions and the armed struggle on his release - he did not.
○ First address in Cape Town
○ Called for intensification from people to end apartheid.
• After his release, the NP heightened talks with the ANC.
• August 1990: Mandela was appointed as president of the ANC
Limitations to Reform
• Upon Mandela's release: He called for the release of ALL political prisoners (later caused conflict in negotiations)
○ Those convicted of violence - including terrorism, murder and arson were not released.
○ Crimes had been committed to advance anti-apartheid struggle.
- Prisoners on Robben Island embarked on a hunger strike.
- Process of releasing prisoners was extremely slow.
Why De Klerk Suddenly Abandoned Apartheid
- Apartheid had become untenable and ungovernable.
• Cold War ended and USSR was on the verge of collapse (Do not say USSR had collapsed because that had not yet
happened),
○ The perceived threat of communism to justify apartheid was defunct.
○ Assumed ANC would be weak after being banned for 30 years and from loss of financial and military aid.
• Enormous pressure from white businessmen to initiate political change to improve floundering economy.
• De Klerk assumed that by initiating the negotiation process, he could push for power sharing to safeguard white South
Africans' interests.
• There was a notion that the ANC might not win the next election if the NP and Inkatha formed an alliance.
• NP was losing support to the white right wing.
Problems Facing Each Party
Problems Facing the National Party
• De Klerk knew that he was under threat from the right-wing - who had long opposed communism after perceived
communist parties were unbanned.
• Conservative Party was gaining popularity amongst whites in by-elections
○ By-elections are significant because they indicate a trend - Happen after a change.
• Some NP leaders hoped to keep power through an alliance with Inkatha.
• Some non-parliamentary extremist white right-winged groupings tried to destablise the country (e.g.
AWB)
Problems Facing the ANC
• Differences in opinions and tactics between members who had been imprisoned, exiled and active in other
organisations in the 1980s.
• Clashes with AZAPO and Inkatha continued because young black youth did not see ANC as militant enough.
• Winne Madikizela Mandela : Made Nelson Mandela's position problematic.
○ She was banished to Brandfort and had developed a popular following, but spoke out against trusting de
Klerk.
○ In the 1980s, she actively spoke in favour of violence.
○ 1990: Charged with complicity in the killing of Stompie Moeketsi.
○ 18 months after Mandela was released, they got divorced.
• Albie Sachs : He said at 1990, SA was the epitome of division, repression and injustice.
