Coming of democracy SA

Date that Nelson Mandela was released from prison

11 February 1990

Date of the Groote Schuur Talks

2 May 1990

Date of the Pretoria Minute

6 August 1990

CODESA

The Convention for a Democratic South Africa

Date of CODESA 1

December 1991

Date of CODESA 2

May 1992

Date of White's only referendum

March 1992

Another term for The Record of Understanding and why it was called this

"Sunset clause"- allowed a gradual phasing out of white rule rather than a dramatic handover of power

The name of South Africa's new coalition government and the parties it consisted of

The Government of National Unity

- ANC, NP, IFP

Two key negotiators in The Record of Understanding

Cyril Ramaphosa and Roelf Meyer

What was the Harare Declaration?

The ANC's conditions for negotiations with the NP. Set out their goal of a united, democratic, non-racial state

Conditions set out in the Harare Declaration

- Release of all political prisoners and detainees

- Lifting of all bans on individuals and organisations

- Removal of troops from the townships

- End to the state of emergency

- Free political activity

- Mutually binding ceasefire

Key reforms announced by FW De Klerk in 1990

- Unbanning of the political organisations and trade unions

- Release of members of these organisations that were in prison

- Lifting of emergency restrictions on organisations

- Limits on detentions under emergency regulations

- A new democratic constitution

- Unconditional release of Mandela

The main principles agreed to at the Groote Schuur Talks

- Working group to be set up to define political offences so prisoners and exiles could be given immunity from prosecution

- Good lines of communication between both parties to end violence

- Temporary immunity for exiles

- Gov to look at security laws so that normal political activity could happen

The Groote Schuur Talks and the Pretoria Minute were known as...

"talks about talks"

What was agreed upon during the Pretoria Minute?

ANC agreed to renounce the armed struggle (temporary peace between ANC and NP)

National Peace Accord (before CODESA 1)

Physical document signed by various political organisations and leaders - pledged a greater tolerance towards each other. The police were reminded of their duty to protect ALL people of SA. Peace monitors of all races were appointed to try settle instances of racial tension.

The political parties that boycotted CODESA 1

CP and PAC (Pan African Congress)

The five groups set up at CODESA 1's various negotiation topics

- Creating a climate for free political participation

- Constitution principles and how a constitution-making body should run

- Transitional arrangements including an interim government

- Future of the homelands

- Time frames

The event that ended CODESA 2

Boipatong Massacre

The commission set up after Boipatong and Bisho Massacre

Goldstone Commission of Inquiry

Compromises made by NP in The Record of Understanding

- Agreed to release more political prisoners

- Agreed to a single stage majority rule instead of a two-phase transition with a transitional gov with a rotating presidency

Compromise made by ANC in The Record of Understanding

The Government of National Unity- would include all parties which obtained over 5% of the vote in democratic elections for the first 5 years

Who proposed the "sunset clause"?

Joe Slovo (leader of the SACP)

MPNP

Multi-Party Negotiation Process (April 1993)

Group formed by the IFP after they were supposedly sidelined from the MPNP

Concerned South Africans Group (COSAG, later named the "Freedom Alliance")

Chris Hani

Popular leader of the SACP and MK who was assassinated in 1993

AVF

Afrikaner Volksfront

- Committee of generals (ex-military leaders)

"Comrade"

A supporter of the struggle against Apartheid

"Impimpi"

Someone who secretly gives information about another person to the police or other authorities

Why was Chris Hani's assassination significant?

It was a turning point as it brought the country to the brink of disaster, after which the main parties pushed for a settlement with increased determination

Bophuthatswana homeland leader

Lucas Mangope

KwaZulu homeland leader

Buthelezi

Ciskei homeland leader

Oupa Gqozo

The reason right-wing Afrikaner bodies indicated they would boycott elections

Opposed to negotiation process and transition to democracy

The reason IFP indicated they would boycott elections

Buthelezi blamed ANC for violence and wanted independent KwaZulu under IFP control

General Constant Viljoen's party that ultimately decided to take part in elections

Freedom Front

New leaders of SA after elections

President- Nelson Mandela

Deputy presidents- Thabo Mbeki and FW De Klerk

Provinces won by various parties in elections

NP- Western Cape (20% of votes)

IFP- KwaZulu-Natal (10%)

ANC- other 7 (63%)

The Settlement of November 1993

Ratification of the interim constitution. Thereafter, a transitional Executive Council oversaw the run-up to the election

TRC

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The TRC was established under this act

Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act

Statutory aims of the TRC

-Establishing causes, nature and extent of violations of human rights that were committed

-Facilitating the granting of amnesty to persons who make full disclosure

-Establishing the fate or whereabouts of victims and restoring their human and civil dignity

-Compiling a report providing comprehensive accounts of their findings and activities

The three TRC committees

-Committee on Human Rights Violations

-Committee on Reparation and Rehabilitation

-Committee on Amnesty

Applicants for amnesty had to prove that people...

-Made full truth and disclosure

-Crimes were committed for political motives

Chairman of TRC

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

TRC not only investigated actions of those who worked for Apartheid regime but also:

-Actions of liberation movements eg. MK bomb attacks and abuses in ANC camps

-Actions of politicians and their supporters in pre-election violence eg. IFP and ANC violence

Party that initially refused to participate in TRC and why

IFP perceived pro-ANC bias

Shortcomings of amnesty process

-Many perpetrators did not apply for amnesty therefore the truth of their actions was not revealed (they therefore escaped punishment because of insufficient evidence- undermined whole process)

-Some applicants had been convicted of crimes and used amnesty to get out of jail

-Not all applicants sincerely remorseful

-Selective focus- had no statutory jurisdiction to investigate pre-1960

-Had power of subpoena (force people to appear before TRC) but failed to use this power

-Limited investigation of institutions as perpetrators

-Reparations controversial- human suffering does not have a price, many reparation claims failed to be processed, many victims awarded them received very little as gov could not afford to be generous (and businesses did not contribute)

Benefits of amnesty process

-Assisted victims and perpetrators to meet face-to-face and put past behind them

-Perpetrator's evidence enabled TRC to conduct further investigations, leading to further disclosure of human rights violations