Road To Democracy in South Africa 1990-1994

By Mlungisi Zwelihle Gumede

Road to Democracy 1990-1994 Grade 12 essay question

South Africa  was under the policy of Apartheid from around 1940s up until 1994, However from 1990 there were some changes that led to the birth of democratic south Africa and the development of government of National Unity (NU). Therefore this argument is critically discussing on whether the road to Democracy was an easy one or the toughest one, the factors that led to the birth of democratic south Africa, violence/disturbances during the process of negotiations and other vital points concerning the topic. On the 18th February 1989 P.W Botha suffered a stroke and in not latter FW Deklerk was elected into power to administrate South Africa as a president. On 02 February 1990 FW Deklerk made a speech that changed the South African course of history. In his speech he outlined the unbanning of political parties which were previously banned in 1960s and those political parties included African National Congress (ANC), People African Congress (PAC) and South African Communist Party (SACP). He also announced the release of political prisoners who were arrested because of their membership of banned political parties, However prisoners who were jailed because of terrorism, murder and arson would not be released. The political prisoners were released and on the 11th February 1990 Deklerk made a very big decision and released Nelson Mandela from Victor verster prison after spending 27 years. A number of people were out on the street celebrating his release. This signaled the coming democracy to South Africa.

The negotiations soon began between  Deklerk (National party) and Mandela (ANC), However the negotiations were disturbed due to the violence in South Africa such as Sebokeng Massacre. The ANC realised that the third force were causing violence. The Inkatha freedom party (IFP) hostel duellers attacked and murdered 40 ANC members in Sebokeng.

1. On the 2nd February 1990 the ANC led by Nelson Mandela and including Walter sisulu, Thabo Mbeki and other met with the NP which was led by Deklerk, and he was accampanied by Pik Botha and other. They met at the Groot  Schuur in order to discuss way forward of building a democratic south Africa. Both Parties agreed to end violence, to release political prisoners and to grant immunity to prosecuted political offenders, to bring back political offenders from exile in order for them to be part of negotiations that were taking place in South Africa.

The Pretoria meeting followed due to the success of the Group schuur minutes. On the 6th August 1990 in Pretoria the ANC and the NP met again in order to discuss. The ANC agreed to suspend its armed struggle UMkhonto wesiswe (MK) which was responsible for setting bombs and causing violence in public places and the NP agreed to end the state of emergency except in Natal.

On the 20th December 1991 the negotiations continued and this led to the establishment of Convernstion for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA one ). This negotiation was held at the world trade center in Kempton park Johannesburg. Nineteen(19) political parties were part of this negotiations excluding IFP, and PAC. In this negotiations they discussed about the formation of Multi racial government  for a new government. The Declaration of intent was signed to bring about undivided South Africa, freedom, equality for all and to end discrimination.

On May 1992 Deklerk introduced a white only Referendum. He asked South Africans especially whites "do you support the continuation of the reform process which the state president  began?". Then as a result about 68,7 percent people voted yes and this indicated that the majority of whites favoured reforms which Deklerk initiated.

On the 15th May 1992 the success of CODESA One led to the negotiations on CODESA two which was once held at the the world trade centre in Kempton park. The ANC wanted the restructuring of the South African Broadcasting  Cooperation (SABC) because its was one sided and have a strong link with the apartheid government. During this negotiations all political parties who were present formed a group of five which had five different things to achieve for more (look spot on grade 12 book clearly reveal these groups). However as result meeting was not a success as there were disagreement between political parties.

On the 17th June 1992 violence erupted in Boibatong, a township in Johannesburg. Armed members of the Inkatha freedom party residing at kwamadala Hostels with the assistance of the police they attacked the residents of Boibatong killing about 49 people in what became known as the Boibatong massacre.

On the 7th of September 1992 around 80 000 ANC supporters led by iconic leader of the ANC Chris Hani gathered in Bisho in protest against the leader of the Bantu Homeland Oupa Gqozo, when they were about to break through the Ciskei Defence Force line the police opened fire and killed 28 people and about 200 more were injured. The NP agreed to ban the carrying of traditional weapons in public such as knopkerrie, spear, skin made shield and other.

On the 26th of September 1992 Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC and Roef Meyer of the NP signed the record of understanding made compromises of releasing more political prolisoners, to erect fences to prevent migrant workers.

The negotiations resumed on 02 April 1993 once again at Kempton park in what became known as the multy party negotiation Forum (MPNF). The structure and the process of negotiations were different from that of CODESA. MPNF consisted of 26 participants and talks were biliteral with the ANC and NP. This negotiations aimed at finalising decisions made at CODESA two.

On the 10th April 1993 the leader of the SACP Chris Hani was shot four times and killed in his driveway from his home by Janusz waluz, who had plotted the deed with the CP member Clive Derby Lewis. However Harmse the women neighbour of Hani noted the Assassin's car registration number and informed her husband about the deed of Janusz , then he ringed up the police. After alerting the police walusz was soon arrested 10kilometre (km) away from Hanis Home with his weapon still in his hand. Waluz died in November 2016 in jail since he was arrested from 1993. The killing of Hani shocked South Africa and initiated violence, for first time Deklerk called on Mandela to address the Nation on television (T.V).

In August the sunset clause Joe slovo the leader of the impecable truthworthiness. The sunset clause allowed for government of National Unity until 2000 and government employees jobs wold be granted for ten years after new government was installed. During the sunset clause it was decided that the South African first democratic elections would be held on 27 April 1994 and others began to write the bill of rghts.

On 25 June 1993 members of the AWB led by Eugene Terre Blanche demonstrated against the MPNF out side the world trade center in Kempton park During the negotiations and latter they drove 4×4 vehicle through the glass sliding door into the building aiming to disturb the negotiations between the two parties, their attempt was a failure because negotiations continued even though there were some little disturbance.

The elections final paved the way to the democratic South Africa. On the 27th April 1994 south Africa eventually reached its first democratic elections whereby all citizens of the country could vote. Ninethin (19) political parties joined the voters roll including IFP. Voting commenced on 27 and lasted until 29 April 1994. As result therefore the ANC won the elections by 68,7% followed by NP and IFP. The leader of the ANC DR Nelson Mandela became the first democratic president in South Africa and the new deputy were Thabo Mbeki and Deklerk. Then the Democratic South Africa was born, A rainbow nation came to existance and the government of National Unity was established (NU)

In the final analysis therefore some historians had raised different views and evidence from research about the road to Democracy. Some says Road to Democracy was not an easy journey because it was fueled by disturbances and killings where as some says it was an easy one because the apartheid government allowed to negotiate with blacks at first. As a student it is  important to draw your own conclusion about the road to Democracy. 

Read more on www.2017hist.doodlekit.com