By Norm Dixon
Stung by the almost universal condemnation of the September 7 Ciskei massacre, and widespread scepticism over the South African government's claim to be uninvolved, Pretoria has been forced to meet several key demands of the African National Congress in order to prevent a reversion to international isolation.
The apartheid regime's traditional allies surprised de Klerk with the harshness of their criticism. British foreign secretary Douglas Hurd demanded that the South African government bring the Ciskei Defence Force under its control. The German government, a close collaborator of the ruling National Party, directly blamed Pretoria for the massacre and reminded de Klerk's government that Ciskei's "independence" has never been recognised internationally.
Further panic was sowed in South Africa's white capitalist elite when foreign investors reacted to the massacre by pulling their money out of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, causing a mini-crash. There were real fears that unless the government immediately moved to restart negotiations with the ANC and pull back from the brink of renewed civil war, the already weakened economy would be overcome by investor panic.
Following a summit between delegations led by Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, hopes for a resumption of constitutional negotiations have again been raised. At the meeting on September 27, Pretoria finally agreed to a number of key demands of the ANC which it has been stalling on for many months.
The summit agreed to the release of all people who committed violent crimes with a political motivation prior to October 8, 1990. At least 150 political prisoners were released immediately, and several hundred more will be released before November 15. The people released so far include three Umkhonto we Sizwe members accused of killing white civilians — Robert McBride, Mthetheleli Mncube and Mzondeleli Nondula — and the remaining members of the famous "Sharpeville Six".
A number of right-wing prisoners will also be released along with those of the ANC. The right-wing Boerestaat Party claims there are at least 41 "Boer freedom fighters" who should be released under the agreement. Among those released was the vicious mass murderer, Barend Strydom, a member of the far-right White Wolves terrorist group, who randomly shot dead eight people in 1988.
De Klerk reiterated government plans to go ahead with a general amnesty for all violent political crimes that would include all current and past state officials. This is strongly opposed by the ANC, which argues that only an elected government should have the power to grant amnesty to state officials, and then only in specific cases where details of the crimes committed are made public.
The agreement included particular measures to help end political violence. The government finally agreed to the ANC's long-standing demands to put fences around worker hostels that have become bases for attacks on the surrounding residents, and to ban the carrying of dangerous weapons in public. Initially, 28 hostels will be fenced in the Transvaal and Natal.
The ANC delegation agreed to "consult its constituency ... with a view to examine the current program of mass action", and to recommend a resumption of constitutional negotiations.
Inkatha boss and leader of the kwaZulu homeland, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, vehemently denounced the agreement. He announced that Inkatha and kwaZulu would withdraw from negotiations. Speaking at a rally in Durban on September 27, Buthelezi urged his supporters to continue to carry "Zulu cultural weapons". Hostel dwellers would tear down fences with their bare hands if necessary, he blustered.
Buthelezi said that "the IFP [Inkatha Freedom Party] and the kwaZulu government will not be bound by decisions reached in bilateral negotiations between the government and the ANC". Buthelezi cancelled a meeting with De Klerk scheduled for September 29 and instead met with Lucas Mangope, dictator of the Bophuthatswana bantustan to float the idea of an alliance of homeland leaders and possibly those far-right white parties that advocate the creation of a white "homeland".
Buthelezi's position has been weakened by the ANC's campaign to promote free political activity in the homelands. The ANC regions in Natal recently reconfirmed their intention to organise a march to Ulundi, the capital of kwaZulu, pointing out that repression by the kwaZulu police is widespread and free political activity in the region is impossible.
A recent opinion poll conducted among South Africa's urban black population found that Buthelezi's Inkatha was rejected "completely on principle" by 71% of respondents. Only 3% said they would vote for Inkatha, compared to 70% who said they would support the ANC.
In a familiar scenario, as the prospects for a resumption of talks increase, so too does violence. On the morning of September 15, five people were killed and 12 injured in 12 separate attacks on train passengers around Johannesburg. All the attacks occurred within minutes of each other. The victims were ordinary commuters with no obvious political affiliation. It is widely suspected that forces within the state and its allies are behind such random acts of terror.