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A place to explore our history through a new lens
Between 1985 and 1994 South Africa moved from conflict, racial division and impending catastrophe to the enormous promise of non-racial constitutional democracy.
In 1986 South Africa was facing countrywide uprisings led by the UDF; growing international isolation; economic crisis and escalating military conflict in Angola.
By the end of 1989 Cuban forces were being withdrawn from Angola; independence elections had been held in Namibia; the Berlin Wall had fallen, and FW de Klerk had been inaugurated as President of South Africa.
On 2 February President De Klerk opened the door to constitutional negotiations by unbanning the ANC and other revolutionary organisations and by announcing the imminent release of Nelson Mandela.
The first talks with the ANC were held on 3 May in Cape Town and were followed by talks in Pretoria and DF Malan Airport during 1990 and 1991.
However, the peace process was stalled by escalating violence which was addressed by the National Peace Accord in September 1991 – opening the way to constitutional negotiations at CODESA.
After by-election losses to the right-wing Conservative Party President De Klerk called a referendum on 17 March 1992 in which 69% of the white electorate supported the continuation of negotiations.
The 19 political parties that convened at CODESA on 21 December 1991 made progress but broke down in May 1992. Following the Boipatong massacre on 17 June the ANC withdrew from negotiations and embarked on “rolling mass action” which culminated in the deaths of 28 demonstrators at Bisho on 6 September.
The ANC returned to the negotiations following The Record of Understanding of 26 September 1992 – which resulted in the decision of the IFP to boycott the process.
Constitutional negotiations recommenced in the 26-party Multiparty Negotiating Forum in March 1993 but were almost derailed by the assassination off Chris Hani on 10 April and the invasion of the MNF venue by the AWB in June.
Nevertheless, the MNF succeeded in reaching agreement on 18 November 1993 on an interim constitution that opened the way to the first fully inclusive election on 27 April 1994.
The election was held on 27 April 1994 despite the Bophuthatswana crisis in March and the refusal of the IFP to participate – until 8 days before the elections.
President Mandela and the Government of National Unity were inaugurated in Pretoria on 10 May 1994.
The newly elected National Assembly and Senate met as a Constitutional Assembly to draft a new constitution within the framework of 34 constitutional principles included in the 1993 Constitution.
The Constitution Assembly adopted the new Constitution on 8 May 1996 and referred it to the Constitutional Court for certification. After amendments ordered by the Court, the final text was approved on 4 December and signed into law by President Mandela on 10 December.
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