Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1998. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The perception exists that the South African transitional negotiations were initiated by
events during 1990. This study challenges such a perception and argues that prior to
formal contact there existed a crucial period of informal bargaining. This period, known
as prenegotiation, saw members of the National Party government and the African
National Congress (ANC) attempt to communicate in order to gauge the possibility of a
negotiated settlement. By utilising a phaseological approach to bargaining/negotiation,
this study analyses the transition in order to ascertain the structure and functions of
South African prenegotiation. The following three negotiation phases are identified:
bargaining about bargaining, preliminary bargaining and substantive bargaining. Both
of the first two phases are regarded as part of prenegotiation.
This study argues that the first phase started as early as 1985 under conditions of
immense secrecy and stayed that way until its conclusion in 1990. Three different
avenues of communication were established during this time. The first avenue existed
between government officials and the imprisoned Nelson Mandela. Regular meetings
were held in an attempt to create an understanding of what was needed to normalise
South African politics. The second avenue operated mostly on international soil,
through intermediaries, and became an indirect channel of communication between
exiled ANC officials and officials in the government's National Intelligence Service.
The third avenue consisted of independent efforts by extra-governmental role-players to
establish communication with the exiled ANC leadership. All three avenues impacted
differently on the negotiation process, yet all are regarded as part of the bargaining
about bargaining phase.
The second phase was initiated by F.W. de Klerk's opening of parliament speech in
1990. In this phase new negotiators came to the fore and it signified an ongoing attempt
by the government and the ANC to establish a contract zone for substantive bargaining.
Prominent agreements included the Groote Schuur Minute, the Pretoria Minute, the D.F.
Malan Accord and the National Peace Accord. The establishment of a multi-party
negotiating forum, Codesa, ended preliminary bargaining, but only temporarily. After
deadlock occurred in May 1992 it became necessary to revert back to prenegotiation
issues before further progress could be made. The bilateral discussions that ensued
between the government and the ANC saw the most prominent bargaining relationships
of the transition develop, notably between Roelf Meyer and Cyril Ramaphosa, and
between Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk. With the signing of the Record of
Understanding and the establishment of the Multi-P~ Negotiating Process ·m1993,
~ ,--· .. . ~ ~-- prenegotiation came to an end.
In focussing primarily on prenegotiation, this study attempts both to refine existing
prenegotiation theory and to identify possible recommendations for other deeply
divided societies. For the success of a negotiation process it is an imperative that lasting
good faith and a workable contract zone are established prior to any form of substantive
bargaining. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die opvatting bestaan dat die Suid-Afrikaanse oorgangsonderhandelinge geinisieer is
deur gebeurtenisse tydens 1990. Hierdie stuC.:ie betwis so 'n opvatting en argumenteer
dat 'n noodsaaklike tydperk van informele onderhandeling voor formele kontak bestaan
het. Gedurende die voorafgaande tydperk, wat bekend staan as vooronderhandeling, het
lede van die Nasionale Party regering en die African National Congress (ANC) gepoog
om kommunikasiekanale daar te stel en sodoende die moontlikheid van 'n
onderhandelde skikking te ondersoek. Deur van 'n fase-benadering tot onderhandeling
gebruik te maak, analiseer hierdie studie die oorgangstydperk met die doel om die
struktuur en funksies van Suid-Afrikaanse vooronderhandelinge te bepaal. Die volgende
drie onderhandelingsfases word onderskei: onderhande/ing oor onderhandeling,
voorlopige onderhande/ing, en substantiewe onderhandeling. Beide fases een en twee
word beskou as deel van vooronderhandeling.
Volgens hierdie studie het die eerste fuse so vroeg as 1985 onder uiters geheime
omstandighede begin, en het dit so voortgeduur tot met die finalisering daarvan in 1990.
Drie verskillende kommunikasiewee het ontstaan gedurende hierdie tydperk. Die eerste
weg was tussen regeringsamptenare en die gevange Nelson Mandela. Gereelde
ontmoetings is gehou in 'n poging om 'n verstandhouding te kweek oor wat nodig sou
wees om Suid-Afrikaanse politiek te normaliseer. Die tweede weg het meestal op
internasionale grondgebied afgespeel deur middel van tussengangers, en het 'n indirekte
kommunikasiekanaal tussen uitgeweke ANC lede en amptenare van die regering se
Nasionale Intelligensie Diens bewerkstellig. Die derde weg het bestaan uit ona:thanklike
pogings deur rolspelers buite die regering om kominunikasie te bewerkstellig met die
uitgeweke ANC-leierskap. Alhoewel die wee op verskillende vlakke die
onderhandelingsproses beiinvloed het, word al drie as deel van die eerste fase beskou.
Die tweede fase is ingelei deur F. W. de Klerk se parlementere openingstoespraak in
1990. In hierdie fase het nuwe onderhandelaars na vore getree en dit is gekenmerk deur
'n deurlopende poging van die regering en die ANC om 'n kontraksone vir substantiewe
onderhandeling te skep. Prominente skikkings het ingesluit die Groote Schuur Minuut,
die Pretoria Minuut, die D.F. Malan Verdrag, en die Nasionale Vredesverdrag. Die
totstandkoming van 'n veelparty-onderhandelingsforum, Codesa, het die einde van
voorlopige onderhandeling aangedu~ alhoewel slegs tydelik. Na 'n dooiepunt bereik is
in Mei 1992 het dit noodsaaklik geword om terug te keer na voorlopige onderhandeling.
Die daaropvolgende bilaterale ontmoetings tussen die regering en die ANC is
gekenmerk deur die ontwikkeling van prominente onderhandelingsverhoudings, veral
tussen RoelfMeyer en Cyril Ramaphosa, en tussen Nelson Mandela en F.W. de Klerk.
Met die ondertekening van die Rekord van Verstandhouding en die totstandkoming van
die Veelparty-onderhandelingsproses in 1993, het vooronderhandeling tot 'n einde
gekom.
Deur hoofsaaklik op vooronderhandeling te fokus, probeer hierdie studie om beide
bestaande vooronderhandelingsteorie te verfyn, asook moontlike riglyne vir ander
diepverdeelde samelewings te identifiseer. Vir 'n onderhandelingsproses om suksesvol
te wees is dit noodsaaklik dat blywende goedertrou en 'n werkbare kontraksone tot
stand gebring word voor die aanvang van enige vorm van substantiewe onderhandeling. / Centre for Science Development (HSRC, South Africa)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/55956 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Kruger, Botha W.(Botha Willem) |
| Contributors | Du Toit, P. V. D. P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 232 leaves |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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