Following its extensive meetings and wide consultations, both within South Africa and the neighbouring Front Line States, the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) concluded that a negotiated solution to South Africa’s problems could be found. It was convinced that “a piecemeal approach that addressed peripheral issues of apartheid would not satisfy black aspirations”.
Instead, it recommended a bold package of measures, what it called a ‘Possible Negotiating Concept’, that if adopted, would help pave the way for a peaceful end to decades of white minority rule in Southern Africa.
‘A possible negotiating concept’
The South African Government has declared its commitment to dismantling the system of apartheid, to ending racial discrimination and to broad-based negotiations leading to new constitutional arrangements for power sharing by all the people of South Africa. In the light of preliminary and as yet incomplete discussions with representatives of various organisations and groups, within and outside South Africa, we believe that in the context of specific and meaningful steps being taken towards ending apartheid, the following additional action might ensure negotiations and a break in the cycle of violence.
On the part of the Government:
a. Removal of military from townships, providing for freedom of assembly and discussion and suspension of detention without trial.
b. The release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners and detainees.
c. The unbanning of the ANC and PAC, and the permitting of normal political activity.
On the part of the ANC and others:
Entering negotiations and suspending violence.
It is our view that simultaneous announcements incorporating these ideas might be negotiated if the Government were to be interested in pursuing this broad approach.
In the light of the Government’s indication to us that it:
i. is not in principle against the release of Mr Nelson Mandela and similar prisoners;
ii. is not opposed in principle to the unbanning of any organisations;
iii. is prepared to enter into negotiations with the acknowledged leaders of the people of South Africa;
iv. is committed to the removal of discrimination, not only from the statute books but also from South African society as a whole;
v. is committed to the ending of white domination;
vi. will not prescribe who may represent black communities in negotiations on a new constitution for South Africa;
vii. is prepared to negotiate an open agenda; the South African Government may wish to give serious consideration to the approach outlined in this note.
