The management of and debate about the democratisation process

This report by Ebrahim Ebrahim details the transition of South Africa from apartheid to a democratic state, focusing on the strategic negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and the National Party, the role of international frameworks like the Harare Declaration, and the public participation processes that legitimized the final constitution.

• The African National Congress (ANC) established a democratic vision as early as 1955 through the Freedom Charter, which asserted that South Africa belongs to all inhabitants regardless of race, sex, or belief, and that government authority must be based on the will of all people.
• The 1989 Harare Declaration, produced by representatives of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), set essential preconditions for negotiations, including the unconditional release of political prisoners, the removal of troops from townships, and the repeal of legislation restricting political activities.
• To build a broad consensus for democratisation, the ANC, PAC, and AZAPO launched the Patriotic Front in October 1991 in Durban. This coalition of over 94 organisations, including civil society and former Bantustan collaborators, supported the principle that a new constitution should be drafted by a constituent assembly elected via one-person-one-vote.
• The Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) established a 'Declaration of Intent' committing parties to a united, non-racial, and non-sexist state with a supreme constitution guarded by an independent judiciary.
• The transition culminated in the first democratic election in April 1994 and the establishment of a Constitutional Assembly in May 1994 consisting of 490 representatives. The resulting government of national unity allowed parties with more than 5% of parliamentary seats to hold proportionate cabinet positions.
• The final constitution was legitimized through an extensive public participation programme that received 1.7 million submissions. To ensure accessibility, 7 million copies of the final document were printed in 11 official languages.
• Reconciliation was pursued through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which prioritised truth-telling over retribution. Pardons were granted based on full disclosure and proof of political motivation and sanction.

APA

Ebrahim, E. (n.d.). The management of and debate about the democratisation process. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2006-cd-rom-sa-trans-process/Ebrahim.pdf

Chicago

Ebrahim, Ebrahim. The management of and debate about the democratisation process. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2006-cd-rom-sa-trans-process/Ebrahim.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ebrahim |first1=Ebrahim |title=The management of and debate about the democratisation process |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2006-cd-rom-sa-trans-process/Ebrahim.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ebrahimndmanagement, author = {Ebrahim, Ebrahim}, title = {{The management of and debate about the democratisation process}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2006-cd-rom-sa-trans-process/Ebrahim.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }