South Africa's Brokers of Ballots and Bullets
SOUTH AFRICA: White Resistance to ANC Talks Rising
President de Klerk is pushing ahead with preparations for talks with the African National Congress next month despite signsrowing white backlash. If necessary, he will crack down on the right to keep talks on track,
Conservative political organizations, which foundered duringcalm last year, have been galvanized by de KJerk's movesNelson Mandela and to legalize the ANC and otherby resurgent unrest in some townships. Leaders ofParty are charging that de KJerk has betrayedlost his mandate to govern. The growing nsk ofthreatens to cloud next month's direct talks betweenand
Conservatives are trying to sow divisions in dc Klerk's National Party and embarrass the President. They areassive petition drive and plan to presentally next month on the anniversary of the Nationalists' victory'>nthe signaturesillion whiles
ew election. De KJerk's party is bracing for
disappointing results in byelections; the first is set Tor June.
Conservative Party strategists are torn over whether toelatively moderate line that appealsroad range of white opinion or toarder line that satisfies party zealots. So far the Conservatives have been restrained in their public behavior, but recent rightwing rhetoric is increasingly inflammatory; party leader Andries Treurnicht recently asserted lhat Afrikaners have the right to use violence to protect themselves.
Treurnicht has stopped short of openly advocating attacks or promoting the formation of vigilante "commando" units in some communities, and some Conservative Party leaders reportedly have tried to dissuade supporters from taking the law mio their own hands but fear they cannot indefinitely fight panic among whites. SJ
Many Afrikaners are torn between their conviction that theythe future of Afrikancrdom and their respect forand law and order. There is ample precedent ofto violent resistance when they believe their leadersthem. Eugene Terreblanche, leader of theResistance Movement, has announced the mobilizationgroup's military wing and belittled the Conservativesaving what is neededillion1
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Assessing ihe Potential for Rightwing Violence
Reports of right wing violence against blacks have increased since the recent surge in unresl between rival black groups. Incidents so far have been limited to attacks by individuals or small groups, but new paramilitary groups are forming, and others established during previous periods of white anxiety have been reactivated. Armed vigilante groups openly patrol conservative white residential areas and harass blacks. Whiles have long been heavilymillion adult white men own the vast majority ofillion registeredIhe number of gun owners reportedly has nsen sharply since de Klerk unbanned ihe ANC. Some gun stores have recently run out. and rural whiles are widely rumored to be caching arms, fj
De Klerk has alienated many right wing members of the national police and apparently is concerned about the loyally of some officers. Many white police, who make up half the force, come from relatively poor and conservative segments of the Afrikaner commujiiiy^fflj
ay, and former officers arc well represented in paramilitary organizations. De Klerk has stood firm, however, ordering top police officials to stay out of politics and impaneling commissions of inquiry abuses. |
Coping With tbe Right
De Klerk appears determined to press ahead wiih talks despite the rightwingenior Cabinet member recently said the party's strategy is to implement potentially unpopular policies quicklv so the public can adjust before the party faces voters again.
For now the Conservative Party can do little to stop dc Klerk in parliament. Even if all Conservative legislators were to resign, de Klerk would not have toeneral election. Available reporting indicates he retains the hrm support of the Nationalist caucus; if he holds the party together, he can stay in power until constitutionally mandated electionsosi observers agree there are enough potential defectors to threaten the National Party's grip on parliament, but de Klerk reportedly is prepared tooalition with the prorcform Democratic Party if necessary and crack down on rightwing protests lo keep the talks on track.
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