How far did the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 influence the transition to majority rule in 1994?
South Africa Coursework
Philip Nacmanson 10/0
: How far did the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 influence the transition to majority rule in 1994?
In February 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 27 years of imprisonment for terrorism (he was leader of MK the terrorist branch of ANC in the 1960s). Thousands gathered in Cape Town to hear him speak. He began "Friends, comrades, fellow South Africans. I great you in the name of peace, democracy and freedom!" It set out his aims and policies for the future, to unite all South Africans and end Apartheid. He thanked all the people involved in freeing him and explained he was still loyal to the ANC cause. His speech gave new found confidence for Blacks
Mandela was elected Deputy President in March. ANC ended their guerrilla war against the state and the exiles returned to South Africa. He was gathering pace in his race to become the first black president in South Africa. At the end of 1991 all the parties agreed to hold a conference to make a new constitution to give democratic rights to everyone in South Africa. It was called CODESA (Convention for a Democratic South Africa).
The problem was that deep wounds don't heal completely and the two main parties ANC and the Nationalists disagreed. The ANC wanted a multi-racial, one person and a one-vote democracy immediately. De Klerks nationalists wanted a system that safeguarded white rights but had a multi-racial leadership. The political arguments erupted into violence on the streets again threatening civil war in South Africa. The ANC was divided and under intense pressure to create results from their supporters who were being attacked by Inkatha (the party for Zulus) who were backed by the white security forces. In May 1992 the ANC quit CODESA.
Things got worse and worse. In June 1992 in Boipatong, a black township in Johannesburg was attacked by Zulu, Inkatha supporters killing 39. They were probably armed and directed by the police to cause yet more unrest in the ANC camp. When De Klerk came to visit the aftermath he was attacked and in the ensuring battle with the police 3 more black youths were killed. Hundreds were killed in the violence the spark had ignited. The political aftermath was the end of talks between De Klerk and Mandela. ANC and White backed Inkatha supporters fought each other in Natal. Mandela realised that violence was not going to win him the next election and that civil war was inevitable without change. Mandela approached De Klerk and began peace talks again.
At the time De Klerk was also under extreme pressure from foreign countries like the USA to end apartheid. The economy was failing because of the boycotts imposed on South African exports. The boycotts were only imposed after 1990 when the Berlin wall came down and the cold war ended, before then there was a rival for South Africa's uranium and plutonium.
Mandela's charm, the threat of civil war, boycotts, UN pressure and a failing economy led to De Klerk handing ANC the thing they most desired; a one-person, one-vote election on 27th April 1994. De Klerk's decision ended Apartheid in South Africa as the ANC had already effectively won because of the vast reserves ANC had to call on to vote. The new South Africa would be divided into 9 provinces, with people free to live where they wanted. Any party with over 80 seats would have a deputy president. The deal was signed in November 1993.
There was now a sense of unity between De Klerk and Mandela. It was Mandela's persuasive nature and reluctance to give in turned many white people to like Mandela and realise that he would lead them to peace. There was defiantly a change in South African politics when Mandela was realised. He gave a sense of togetherness and an almost revolutionary comradeship between the Nationalists and the ANC. Although right-wing extremists (like AWB led by Terblanche with Nazi like views) tried their best to let violence overshadow the election, Mandela achieved a landslide victory winning 7 of the ...
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There was now a sense of unity between De Klerk and Mandela. It was Mandela's persuasive nature and reluctance to give in turned many white people to like Mandela and realise that he would lead them to peace. There was defiantly a change in South African politics when Mandela was realised. He gave a sense of togetherness and an almost revolutionary comradeship between the Nationalists and the ANC. Although right-wing extremists (like AWB led by Terblanche with Nazi like views) tried their best to let violence overshadow the election, Mandela achieved a landslide victory winning 7 of the 9 provinces. (The Western Cape went to the Nationalists and Natal went to Inkatha). De Klerk became deputy president with Robert Mbeki, Mandela's successor.
Mandela had won after almost single handily turning the ANC round and keeping his cool through the violence of 1992. He was now the symbol of peace throughout the world and won the Nobel Peace prize. He will forever be hailed as the 'man who ended apartheid'.
2: What did (a) the black people and (b) the white people in South Africa expect to happen when Mandela came to power?
There were mixed opinions and expectations amongst South African's after the ANC's election to power.
With white South Africans there was a feeling of a change for the worst and things were going fine as they were. It was the spreading out of land, wealth and jobs that they were most worried about. They did not want their jobs taken and their privileges terminated. They thought Mandela would be a disaster for South Africa with his socialist policies of sharing everything amongst all South Africans. It was predicted that a lower standard of life would spread through South Africa; similarities were passed with Russia and China. Also a lot of whites went on from there, believing that the government would neglect their needs and that black peoples needs would prevail. Fortunes would be reversed with a 'black apartheid' government in power!
Some whites voted for Mandela hoping for a reduction in violence. I think this was the one thing most South Africans, black and white, begged for. An end of the riots and the bloodshed like in Soweto in 1976 and Boipatong in 1992. It was a peaceful South Africa they all wanted.
A sweeping change throughout South Africa was what most black South Africans wanted and expected from Nelson Mandela. The basis of ANC's promise to black South Africans dated back as far as the 1955 freedom charter. More recent promises included the sharing of the countries wealth, jobs for all black South Africans, land for farming, education, housing, electricity, water and health care. Blacks expected all of these and for it to happen quickly, affirmative action. A lot of pressure was put on Nelson Mandela by blacks to give them everything they promised. Expectations were very high and patience was very short. Also the promises made would cost millions. The major worries were no change in black standard of living and more violence that in the past usually resulted in blacks being hurt.
Nelson Mandela had come to power, his dream had come true. But now he was actually there he realised it would be a lot tougher then he thought it would be. He was essentially a left wing politician but his black supporters were pulling him more and more left and his white 'enemies' were holding him back from falling into communism. He was juggling a lot of people's expectations. Apart from ANC blacks and Nationalist whites, there were the Inkatha Zulu blacks, the Asians and coloured who both had views on how the country should be run. Also outside pressure was on him to succeed in South Africa. A lot was certainly expected of Nelson Mandela.
3: Why, four years later, might (a) some black people and (b) some white people be disappointed by the progress that has been made?
As Nelson Mandela's first term in office came to an end in 1998 he announced he would retire leaving control of ANC to deputy president Tharbo Mbeki. It was a time to review what had happened in the last 4 years and what people thought of the government.
Whites were surprised. They weren't happy but it wasn't the complete disaster as they expected. Blacks were less likely to attack because they had their party in power and they were improving their lives. But they were angry that the cost was coming entirely out of their pockets.
Less educated whites were very, very, very unhappy. Blacks were taking up all the un-skilled and semi-skilled jobs, due to 'positive discrimination'. Positive discrimination was invented to put blacks first. For example, if a black man or women applied for a job and a white man or women applied for the same job, even if the white person was equally qualified, the black person would always get the job. White poverty was created and a hatred for blacks grew amongst the lower white class. It was the perfect breeding ground for right wing extremists.
The currency also collapsed. In 1 year alone from 1997 to 1998 inflation doubled. Many whites fled to other countries where there money would be worth something. But there was a good side to inflation. South Africa's tourism industry boomed. With other currency such as the pound and the dollar so strong against the rand tourists flocked there for cheap holidays. With spectacular wildlife and wonderful scenery like Table Mountain it was a perfect holiday.
Blacks were disappointed because of not enough change. 1.3 million more homes were supplied with running water, 400,000 extra homes were supplied with electricity and an extra 500 health clinics built. But the percentage of the homes given these luxuries was tiny. There were still millions of black South Africans without water, electricity or proper health care. Security was not brilliant as whites still fought with blacks over land and jobs. Not enough land was given to them in their opinion and big companies still had too much of the wealth. Nelson Mandela had not been as communist as they would have liked.
Blacks still very much supported ANC, as they did not want to go back to the dark days of apartheid. They were happy that they were getting the best jobs and that they had the right to vote still. Whites were unsure of their position; many emigrated to Britain, Canada and Australia. The lower class were very right wing supporting the nationalists and even AWB! Others were pleased that the violence was reduced but it still wasn't eradicated. The next 4 years were still clouded in mystery. The country could still collapse into communism and civil war. It was the risk South Africans had to take, there wasn't a choice.
4: Many people inside South Africa have criticised Mandela for broken promises. Why, therefore, is Mandela so highly praised outside South Africa? What has been the effect of Mandela's retirement from the presidency and what changes, if any, have taken place since June 1999?
As Thabo Mbeki took over the reigns from Nelson Mandela there was a lot of questions asked of the government. ANC won the election in 1998 but with a reduced majority. They lost the coloured vote in Cape Town and the Asian vote in Durban. People looked to the government for the eradication of violence and crime, the standard of living to be raised e.g. running water, education etc and promises to be kept.
Outside South Africa Nelson Mandela and ANC were praised as the slayers of apartheid. Mandela himself became one of the most liked and famous faces in the world. He became a black role model in all countries showing that they could be treated as equals. On his 80th birthday many other black idols came to his party including the model Naomi Campbell and the pop star Stevie Wonder. It was an elaborate celebration of black independence.
But although ordinary people praised Mandela outside South Africa, big businesses were reluctant to start again in South Africa. The state of inflation in South Africa was so awful it scared away companies like Ford motor-cars. Apartheid had not helped business in South Africa because of the boycotts imposed by Western Nations and the knock on effects were in place.
But Mandela was now History. He had built the foundations; shaky they were but there anyway. It was time for the South Africa led by Thabo Mbeki to take centre stage. He was given a South Africa that was at a crossroads. There were many different paths he could take, each with its own different problems. Blacks expected more of ANC's promises of 1994 and the freedom charter. They saw the opportunity of a new leader to swing the government more left towards socialism. If the government didn't address their promises or didn't go left enough, there was the threat of a revolt.
Whites expected the end of 'positive discrimination' and a change in the economy. They were worried that blacks were becoming un-happy and they would be targeted. Also a reduction in crime would be good as well.
What really happened was unforeseen and had nothing to with the past. Aids spread through South Africa at an alarming rate and at this present moment it is still rising steeply. It is estimated that 1 in 10 South Africans are HIV positive. The problem has put huge pressure on the government to buy vast quantities of the very expensive drugs made by the international pharmaceutical companies. The government came up with the solution of making copies. There was a huge argument between the government and the pharmaceutical companies about licences and prices of the drugs. The big companies gave in recently to reduce prices and let South Africa make the drugs under licence under pressure from the UN but still it will never totally go away.
Apart from aids, Thabo Mbeki has received allegations that his government and himself are corrupt. Many officials received expensive sports cars from an arms company so that they would get a contract to supply the SADF (South African Defence Force). Police dogs have savaged illegal immigrants in supposed 'training exercises'. Racism is still rife in South Africa; indeed there are areas in Johannesburg that if a white man steps foot in it, he will come out in a coffin. This also applies the other way round in other areas.
The economy is still slumping and because of that the big companies will not build factories to employ the lower class in South Africa. Crime has risen dramatically. Even to the extreme where most houses are more like fortresses then homes with barbed wire and security cameras. Unemployment has also given the communist and AWB parties more support.
What lies in the future of South Africa? It could be a grenade ready to blow up in Thabo Mbeki's face. With an economy spiralling out of control and aids killing off the lower class blacks who are also unemployed and turning to crime there a lot of very unhappy South Africans, black and white. Some Afrikaners are campaigning to set up an independent state in the Orange Free State province to break away from the mess. It is very unlikely that things will sort themselves soon. The next election will be very interesting. If ANC haven't sorted things out by 2002 another party Inkatha, the nationalists even the communists may come to power. Extremists may also try to take over using violence. Whatever the outcome the future of South Africa is set to be as complex, full of problems and maybe as violent as its history.