Abstract
This chapter investigates certain political and economic questions raised by an evaluation of the KwaZulu-Natal Indaba.2 Briefly, the Indaba refers to a series of negotiations towards the construction of a regional alternative to apartheid, taking place between governing bodies and interest groups in the geographical region (nicknamed ‘KwaNatal’) comprising the white province of Natal and the black ‘homeland’ of KwaZulu. The most important participants in the discussions are Inkatha, the KwaZulu Cabinet (dominated by Inkatha), the Natal Provincial Council Executive, and various business lobbies, such as the South African Sugar Association, the Natal Chamber of Industries, and the Durban Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. At the time of writing, the talks were still in progress and only broad principles had been accepted by the participants.
I would like to thank Jill Nattrass, John Brewer and Bill Johnson for helpful comments on earlier drafts. The mistakes, as ever, remain my own.
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Notes
See Buthelezi Commission Report Vol. 5, 1982, p. 31 and F. Martin, ‘The Administration — Rationalisation, Integration, Modernisation’, in L. Boulle and L. Baxter (eds), Natal and KwaZulu: Constitutional and Political Options, Cape Town, Juta, 1981, p. 153.
D. Glaser, ‘Behind the Indaba: The making of the KwaNatal Indaba’, Transformations, 2, 1986, p. 16.
G. Mare, ‘Regional Rule for Inkatha?’, Work in Progress, 46, 1987, p. 7. As Buthelezi himself articulates, ‘I have more than any other leader produced some formula for power-sharing for people of all races in South Africa through the Buthelezi Commission in 1982. The KwaZulu—Natal Indaba proposals are also the fruits of my politics of negotiation’. Quoted in the Guardian, 25 July, 1987, p. 14.
Ibid, p. 9. See also W. Cobbett et al., ‘South Africa’s Regional Political Economy: A Critical Analysis of Reform Strategy in the 1980’s’, in SARS (ed.) South African Review, Johannesburg, Raven, 1986.
See J. Nattrass, ‘Natal and KwaZulu: An Economic Profile — its Relevance for a new Dispensation’ in L. Boulle and L. Baxter (eds), Natal and KwaZulu 1981, and J. Du Pisanie, ‘The Economic Realities of Natal and KwaZulu’ in ibid.
G. Mare, ‘Regional Rule for Inkatha?’, 1987, p. 1.
R. W. Johnson, How Long Will South Africa Survive?, London, Macmillan, 1977, p. 289.
See W. Hutt, The Economics of the Colour Bar, London, André Deutsch, 1964;
M. O’Dowd, ‘South Africa in the Light of the Stages of Economic Growth’, mimeo, Cape Town, 1964;
R. Lewis et al., Apartheid: Capitalism or Socialism?, Hobart Paperback number 22, London, Institute of Economic Affairs, 1986;
and M. Lipton, Capitalism and Apartheid: South Africa 1910–1986, Aldershot, Wildwood House, 1986.
See for example, H. Wolpe, ‘Capitalism and Cheap Labour Power in South Africa: From Segregation to Apartheid’, Economy and Society 1, 4, 1972; and more recently
J. Saul and S. Gelb, The Crisis in South Africa, London, Zed Press, 1981, 1986.
O. Dhlomo, ‘The KwaZulu—Natal Indaba’, Speech, Oxford Union Debating Society, Oxford, May 1987.
J. Du Pisanie and J. Meintjies, Implications of Fiscal Parity in KwaZulu and Natal by 1995 and 2000 respectively, Joint Senbank and Bepa Report, Pretoria, 1986, p. 4.
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© 1989 John D. Brewer
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Nattrass, N. (1989). The KwaNatal Indaba and the Politics of Promising Too Much. In: Brewer, J.D. (eds) Can South Africa Survive?. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19661-6_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19661-6_8
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