Insurgent Diplomat - Civil Talks or Civil War?Long before the official negotiations to end apartheid, there were secret discussions that paved the way for dialogue between the African National Congress and the South African government. Aziz Pahad played a key role in these discussions, and in this book he provides the first account of them from the ANC’s perspective. Pahad recounts his early years in South Africa, which informed his political ideology, as well as his time in exile in London. He gives insights into the leadership of 00inspirational figures, such as Yusuf Dadoo, Oliver Tambo and Thabo Mbeki, and describes the central role played by the ANC in rescuing the country from the brink of disaster. There are also important lessons for governments still resorting to military aggression to resolve conflicts by showing that honesty, mutual understanding and compromise are essential to bringing an end to instability. A moving memoir about a significant historical period, The Insurgent Diplomat draws on the author’s experiences as one of the ANC’s most trusted politicians, who contributed to a free and democratic South Africa. |
Contents
The exile years | |
The changing dynamics of struggle | |
Intensifying the struggle and the crisis of apartheid | |
The Commonwealth and strategic engagement | |
The ANCs dialogue with white constituencies | |
Secret talks in the UK Laying the Groundwork | |
Secret talks in the UK Towards Negotiations | |
The secret Mandela talks and other covert meetings | |
Coming home and crossing the final hurdles | |
Illustrations | |
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Common terms and phrases
accept activities Afrikaner group ANC delegation ANC in exile ANC leadership ANC’s Angola anti-apartheid apartheid apartheid regime apartheid system argued armed struggle Bantustans Barnard British cadres campaign CODESA commitment Committee comrades conference constitutional democratic South Africa developments discussions Dr Dadoo economic elections Essop establishment Esterhuyse forces FW de Klerk Govan Mbeki government’s Harare Declaration IDASA important informed issues Joe Slovo leaders liberation London Lusaka major Mandela’s release meeting Mells Park military Minister mobilisation movement National Party negotiated solution negotiating process Nelson Mandela non-racial Oliver Tambo organisations participate People’s Pik Botha political prisoners position propaganda PW Botha regime’s release of political represented response return to South role Ronnie Kasrils SACP SADF sanctions secret talks South Africa South African government Soviet strategic structures SWAPO tactical Thabo Mbeki unbanning underground understanding violence Wimpie Zuma