The end of Apartheid, 1984-94

• Total Strategy

  The aim of total strategy was to defeat the ANC and bring order back to South Africa. It failed for numerous reasons:

  • The economy was struggling, inflation rose from 11% in 1983 to 18% by 1986
  • Dissent was growing with Botha's government
  • Continued violence in the townships
  • Security forces were unable to prevent the ANC and other groups from committing 'Acts of terror'
• Reform

  Botha knew that to keep apartheid alive he had to drop many petty acts.

  • The Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 was repealed in 1985
  • Local Authorities were encouraged to desegregate parks and public amenities
  • Pass laws were abolished in 1986
• New parliament

  As part of Botha's reform, parliament was reworked and was made up of three chambers:

  • House of Assembly comprising 178 white people
  • House of Representatives comprising 85 coloured people
  • House of Delegates comprising 45 Indian people
• International pressure and economic crisis

  In 1985, American banks refused to renew South Africa's loans. The currency slumped in 1985 and investors lost faith in Botha. Gavin Relly, the chairman of Anglo-American, perhaps South Africa's largest private corporation, led a delegation of white South African businessmen to Lusaka in 1985 to meet the ANC.

  The movement to free Nelson Mandela from prison was also gathering steam, backed by the AAM and ANC in exile.
• The path to talks

  In January 1985, Botha offered to release Mandela and other political prisoners if they renounced violence and the armed struggle, as well as support for political movements that remained committed to such strategies.

  Mandela refused and the message was broadcast in a speech read out by his daughter, Zinzi, at a UDF rally of about 8,000 people in Soweto in February 1985.
• De Klerk's new course

  In January 1989, Botha suffered a stroke. In September 1989, white, Coloured and Indian voters cast votes for their separate parts of the tricameral parliament.

  De Klerk won the election with 48% of the white vote and thus became national president. De Klerk quickly reduced military budgets and curtailed the influence of the State Security Council and Joint Management Systems at the end of 1989.
• Freeing Mandela and unbanning political parties

  By mid-1989 it was clear that the ANC as a whole was committed to negotiations. De Klerk and Mandela met in Dec 1989 and Mandela released a forceful statement arguing for a negotiated settlement. On its side, the NP's only real alternative was to go back to some form of white domination.

  When De Klerk opened parliament in Feb 1990, he did resort to a form of presidentialism. Before consulting the new government, he announced that he would release Mandela and unban all political parties.
• CODESA Negotiations pt.1

  CODESA started badly with a highly public spat between Mandela and De Klerk. De Klerk decided to open up the most sensitive issue, publicly condemning the ANC for failing to disband the MK and remaining committed to violence. Mandela claimed that the government was perpetuating violence and conflict, secretly funding covert organisations and facilitating Inkatha's vigilantes.
• CODESA Negotiations pt.2 


  Nevertheless progress was made at CODESA, meeting in five working committees, and significant agreements were reached in the next few months. There would be a single undivided country, a multi-party democracy with a universal non-racial franchise, a bill of rights, separation of powers and an end to racial discrimination.

  But due to growing disagreements, CODESA was suspended and De Klerk held a whites-only referendum in March 1992.
• The significance of Mandela's release


  Nelson Mandela was released on 11 February 1990 after 27 years in captivity. While others were also freed, his particular release was significant in the sense of his fame and symbolism as the victim of oppression in SA. People hoped he was the one leader with the charisma and dignity to facilitate a peaceful transition.
• The unbanning of political parties

  The unbanning of political parties facilitated democratic elections once a settlement was reached. However:

  • Unbanning in itself had little effect on the violence and turmoil into which the country has descended
  • It had little effect on political parties being ready to fight elections. The ANC, for example, had little formal political organisation within SA
• The role of Inkatha


  The Inkatha Freedom Party was a Zulu group formed in 1990 by the Zulu leader Chief Buthelezi. Buthelezi was possibly the most important African leader within SA in the 1980s: he was prepared to work with the government and offered exemplary anti-communist credentials. With the unbanning of other groups and government talks with them , he saw his influence falling. Inkatha supporters began to attack those sympathetic to the ANC, particularly those in the Zulu stronghold of Natal, and Buthelezi began to speak of secession from SA with a fully independent Zulu homeland.
• The dismantling of apartheid

  Many were surprised by the extent of de Klerk's February 1990 speech. They were expecting it to focus on the release of Mandela - but it was in fact that speech which formally committed the government to constitutional change.

  • In October 1990 the Separate Amenities Act which had formed the basis for petty apartheid was repealed, so segregation of facilities became illegal
  • The repeal of such apartheid measures which remained, such as the Population Registration Act and Group Areas Act, were facilitated by an Act of Parliament in June 1991
• Nationalist divisions

  De Klerk had difficulties persuading members of his own party to agree a settlement. Many white people feared for the future and many had already lost their livelihoods:

  • They were concerned for their safety in the event of an African black backlash
  • Many feared for their livelihoods as African people became more skilled and could compete openly for jobs
  • Many relied on the bureaucracy of apartheid or the security forces for employment. However, an agreement was reached guranteeing jobs and pensions
• The new constitution

  • SA would be divided into nine provinces, each with its own elected government and civil service
  • A Bill of Rights would be protected by a Constitutional Court
  • The new system could only be amended by two-thirds majority
  • Guaranteed power sharing for five years: while the president would come from the leading party, the deputy president could come from any party with over 20% of the vote and any party with more than 5% could have a minister appointed.