1990s in South Africa

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History of South Africa
General periods
Ancient (before 1652) (1652 to 1815) (1815 to 1910) (1910 to 1948) (1948 to 1994) Modern (1994 to 1999) 2000s (2000-)
Specific themes
Apartheid · Economics · Military Early history · Religious · Social
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South Africa in the 1990s transitioned from the system of apartheid to one of majority rule. The new government established a constitution before establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995 to expose crimes of the apartheid era. The commission heard many stories of horrific brutality and injustice from all sides of the struggle, and offered some catharsis to people and communities shattered by their past experiences.

The Commission operated by allowing victims to tell their stories and by allowing perpetrators to confess their guilt; with amnesty on offer to those who made a full confession. Those who chose not to appear before the commission would face criminal prosecution if the authorities could prove their guilt. But while some soldiers, police, and ordinary citizens confessed their crimes, few of those who had given the orders or commanded the police presented themselves. For example, State President P.W. Botha and current President Thabo Mbeki refused to appear before the Commission. It has proven difficult to gather evidence against these alleged higher-level criminals.

Refining democracy

In 1999, South Africa held its second universal-suffrage elections. In 1997, Mandela had handed over leadership of the ANC to his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, and speculation grew that the ANC vote might therefore drop. In fact, it increased, putting the party within one seat of the two-thirds majority that would allow it to alter the constitution.

The NP, restyled as the New National Party (NNP), lost two-thirds of its seats, as well as official opposition status to the Democratic Party (DP). The DP had traditionally functioned as a stronghold of liberal whites, and now gained new support from conservatives disenchanted with the NP, and from some middle-class blacks. Just behind the DP came the KwaZulu-Natal Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), historically the voice of Zulu nationalism. While the IFP lost some support, its leader, Chief Buthelezi, continued to exercise power as the national Home Affairs minister.

Into the future

Thabo Mbeki formally announced his resignation on 21 September 2008 as a result of the ANC National Executive Committee's decision to no longer support him in parliament. He was replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe, appointed president by the South African National Assembly on 25 September 2008. While the ANC grassroots held Mbeki in far less affection than the beloved "Madiba" (Mandela), he proved himself a shrewd politician, maintaining his political pre-eminence by isolating or co-opting opposition parties. The ANC's time in power has however not been without criticism. In the early days of his presidency, Mbeki's effective denial of the HIV crisis invited global criticism, and his conspicuous failure to condemn the forced reclamation of white-owned farms in neighbouring Zimbabwe unnerved both South African landowners and foreign investors.

Homicide is a massive problem in modern South Africa. The Economist reports the killing of approximately 1,500 white farmers in attacks since 1991, and in 1995 and 1998 the country led the world in reported murders. In an effort to counter this, the government has published statistics showing a steady decrease in the murder rate since 1994.

According to The Economist, an estimated 250,000 white South Africans have emigrated since 1994.^[1]

References

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