On February 2 1990, then president FW de Klerk delivered a singularly important political speech in the House of Assembly in Parliament in Cape Town. It is submitted that it ranks as one of the great political speeches of the 20th Century, comparable to the Winds of Change address given by the British prime minister in January 1960, also in Parliament in Cape Town.
George Bizos, in his interesting and fascinating book, 65 Years of Friendship, states in the epilogue that "[t]here are a small group of ill-informed South Africans who accuse Mandela of having ‘sold out’ the rights of black people in the country because he was ‘trounced’ by the De Klerk government during the Codesa negotiations". Nothing could be further from the truth, and as Bizos explains, they "are obviously ignorant of our history and Nelson Mandela’s attitude to all our people".
Both De Klerk, Mandela and their teams and other political parties and their leaders were seasoned and hard-nosed politicians who, for approximately four years, were intensely involved in a strenuous and demanding process of negotiation that at times was erratic, faltered and, indeed, virtually collapsed.
However, ultimately, a historic political settlement was reached involving an Interim Constitution and the setting of the date for the democratic election on April 27 1994. The political settlement was based on important compromises involving all the role players. Neither Mandela nor De Klerk "sold out".
Mandela became an international and domestic icon, becoming SA’s George Washington
Compromises were also made to bring the IFP and Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi into the political process. Although far from perfect, the political settlement and the final Constitution of 1996 have endured. In the nearly 25 years that have elapsed, both the political settlement and the Constitution have flourished and SA has emerged as a liberal and social democracy.
As Prof David Welsh has apply observed, the "unique process of transformation from apartheid to non-racial democracy was a synthesis of both reform and revolution". It most certainly did not involve any one of the role players selling out.
For their efforts, Mandela and De Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mandela became an international and domestic icon, becoming SA’s George Washington, the revolutionary turned president who oversaw the birth of a great nation [the US]. With Mahatma Gandhi, he is considered one of the greatest men of the 20th Century.
De Klerk, in his turn, also made a seminal contribution to the process of transformation as a reformer of historic and international calibre, who, in an exemplary manner, stepped aside to allow Mandela to take over the reins of government and enjoy the limelight. In this regard, at this time when we commemorate another anniversary of his momentous speech of February 2, De Klerk deserves recognition.
However, SA at present finds itself in a state of crisis caused by the political phenomenon of the two centres of power, with Jacob Zuma as President of the country and Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the ANC. In the political and economic interest of the country and its people, the crisis needs to be expeditiously resolved. Virtually all commentators are of the opinion that Zuma should resign forthwith and that Ramaphosa should take over without any unnecessary delay.
Former DA leader, Tony Leon, an experienced and astute commentator, has been reported in the media (Daily News, January 23 2017) as stating that "Cyril Ramaphosa’s election has been a game-changer for everyone, for the country, for our economic fortune, and, indeed, the DA will have to up its game because Ramaphosa is a very different proposition".
As De Klerk did in a game-changing way, Ramaphosa is required to act boldly and decisively and take the country forward by bringing the Zuma presidency to an end without delay. If Zuma does not go voluntarily, a vote of no-confidence in Parliament involving the co-operation of opposition parties may be needed. Undoubtedly this requires inspired and courageous leadership from Ramaphosa and support from the opposition political parties. This is the inordinate challenge facing our political leaders and the people of SA at this political juncture.
• Devenish is Emeritus Professor at the University of KwaZuluNatal and assisted in drafting the Interim Constitution in 1993.
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