TOPIC #2 DEMOCRATIC STATESSOUTH AFRICA TERMS

Remember:

IB looks for: Nature & Structure of Government, Economic & Social Policies, & PSE Challenges

BACKGROUND

Massive shift with end of apartheid Keep focus on the why and how of changes

between 1989-1991 AND Mandela’s contributions.

Affected to a lesser degree by the Cold War Mandela trained as a lawyer, co-founded the

Youth League of the ANC, and later the military wing of the ANC (MK)

Previously 3 classes: White, Coloured, African

NATURE & STRUCTURE OF DEMOCRACY

Mandela freed 1990 CODESA (Convention for a Democratic South

Africa) – 1991 de Klerk & 1992 referendum Joe Slovo & Sunset Clauses Local ethnic recognition: 9 provinces, 11

languages, customary law Federal authority: bicameral legislature,

president chosen by legislature, proportional representation, court system, power sharing until ‘99, universal suffrage, gender equality, social & economic rights, Bills of Rights, NO white veto

Elections held in April 1994 – Mandela inaugurated in May 1994

POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, & SOCIAL CHALLENGES

Transition to majority rule Racism & ethnic conflict Divisions over the treatment of women Political extremism & violence (“Third Force”) Poverty, wealth & unemployment Education gap AIDS = orphans, crime, etc. Murder rate 10x the US

PRE-1994 POLICIES

March 1992 Referendum Sunset Clause The Rule of Law

MANDELA POLICIES Truth & Reconciliation Commission (‘95) Shift from planned economy to Capitalist

model Reconstruction & Development Plan (RDP),

1994-96 Growth, Employment, & Redistribution

(GEAR), 1996-99 More rural hospitals, but little done for those

in cities Continuing divide on gender equality

MBECKI POLICIES

“The Rainbow Nation” Centralized power (“one-party democracy”)

National Party gone & Inkatha absorbed into government

Power sharing of interim constitution gone