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Landing at the Cape2The Cape SettlersGreat Trek2The Xhosa PeopleThe Zulu KingdomBattle of Blood RiverColony of NatalAnglo-Boer War2Apartheid Era2The New South Africa

After a further two turbulent years, eventually a new constitution was drafted. In April 1994, the first democratic elections were held in South Africa. As expected, the ANC gained the overwhelming majority.

Nelson Mandela was inaugurated on the 10th of May 1994 as the first black African President of the New South Africa. F. W. de Klerk, whose National Party had gained 20 per cent of the votes, became second Vice-President of the Interim Government. The first Vice-President was Thabo Mbeki. He was elected as President in June 1999 when the ANC got almost a two third majority of the votes.

photo - Mebi, Mandela, de Klerk

Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk

The New Democratic
South Africa

Only months after taking up office, Frederik Willem de Klerk rang in the end of Apartheid in an historic speech in Parliament in February 1990, and declared himself in favour of a democratic South Africa. The ANC was unbanned. Some days later, Nelson Mandela, the President of the ANC, was released from prison on Robben Island, after 27 years behind bars. Earlier, in secret negotiations the ANC and the government had agreed to refrain from violence and work for a peaceful transition and a new constitution. The process of rapprochement was slow in the beginning, particularly because of differences and power struggles between the Xhosa-dominated ANC and the Zulu-led Inkatha Freedom Party, resulting in violence in the townships.

In the meantime, de Klerk had to deal with growing criticism from his own National Party. To counter that, he had his policy confirmed in a referendum voted on by the white population. Almost 70 per cent supported a continuation of the reforms.

The New Democratic South Africa

The New Democratic
South Africa