Inkatha and the National Party, 1980-1989 by Adam
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INKATHA AND THE NATIONAL PARTY, 1980-1989 BY ADAM HOULDSWORTH THIS THESIS HAS BEEN SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF THE HUMANITIES, FOR THE CENTRE FOR AFRICA STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE JANUARY 2016 SUPERVISOR: PROF IR PHIMISTER CO-SUPERVISOR: NEIL ROOS Tel.: (051) 401 2209 Telefax: (051) 401 9438 Enquiries: Ms. Rebecca Dipyere E-mail: [email protected] Our reference: 2012153470 28 January 2016 Dear Student NOTIFICATION: SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION The receipt of your letter of notification of your intention to submit your dissertation on or before 01 February 2016 is hereby acknowledged. The registered title of your dissertation is as follows: TITLE: Inkatha and the National Party, 1980- 1989………………………………………………………………… This title must appear on the title page of the dissertation. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: A research PhD dissertation or publishable, interrelated articles or a thesis must meet the following requirements: 1) Printed in at least one-and-a-half spacing. 2) For assessment purposes, a student must submit either properly bound copies or sub-edited copies in temporary ring bindings. 3) An English and Afrikaans summary of no more than 600 words each must be included at the beginning of the research report together with approximately ten key terms in English that describe the topic. 4) The supervisor must provide a written declaration that she/he approves the submission for assessment and that the submitted work has not previously, either in part or in its entirety, been submitted to the assessors. i 5) The student must submit the following written declarations: (i) “I, .....Adam Houldsworth............................, declare that the Doctorate research dissertation or interrelated, publishable manuscripts / published articles that I herewith submit for the Doctorate qualification ......... at the University of the Free State is my independent work, and that I have not previously submitted it for a qualification at another institution of higher education.” (ii) “I, ...Adam Houldsworth..............., hereby declare that I am aware that the copyright is vested in the University of the Free State.” (iii) “I, .....Adam Houldsworth..............., hereby declare that all royalties as regards intellectual property that was developed during the course of and/or in connection with the study at the University of the Free State, will accrue to the University.” In the event of a written agreement between the University and the student, the written agreement must be submitted in lieu of the declaration by the student. 6) The title page must include the following: i) the registered research title. ii) the student’s full names. iii) a declaration reading: “Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements in respect of the Doctor of Philosophy qualification _________________ in the Department of _________________in the Faculty of _______________________at the University of the Free State.” iv) the submission date. v) the name of the supervisor and, if applicable, the co-supervisor(s). ii 7) When handing in the dissertation for assessment or publishable articles, the student must ensure that: i) the following is submitted: • Two photocopies of the title page of the dissertation. • Three (3) copies of the dissertation, which will be sent to the examiners concerned by the Student Academic Services Department. • A copy of your ID/passport. ii) all properly bound copies must be submitted to the Student Academic Services Department before the next graduation ceremony. iii) the following bound copies are required: a properly bound copy for each person who was involved in the examination of the dissertation, as well as one for the supervisor and one for each co-supervisor (if applicable). iv) a CD-ROM for the university library must be handed in before the next graduation ceremony. The CD-ROM will be incorporated into the Electronic Theses and Dissertations Project (ETD) for availability on the World-Wide Web. All final copies must be handed in at the Student Academic Services Department. • Specifications for the CD-ROM are as follows: • Microsoft embedded fonts; one file consisting of the text, abstract, summary, keywords, illustrations, and maps. • An extra copy for dispatch to the Geological Survey (only applicable to students in the Department of Geology who submit a dissertation for examination). 8) Your attention is drawn to the following: i) If the dissertation is submitted for examination after the above-mentioned date, the University cannot be held responsible if the degree is not conferred at the next graduation ceremony. ii) If all final hard copies have not reached the University two weeks before the graduation ceremony, no statement that the degree has been awarded will be issued and the student will not receive his/her degree certificate. IMPORTANT: If for some reason your dissertation cannot be submitted as you have indicated in writing, you are requested to inform Mr D. Maleka at [email protected] or telephone +27(0)51401 2209 from the Postgraduate Office in Student Academic Services in Collaboration with your supervisor, to be able to inform the external examination panel members accordingly. iii Yours faithfully On behalf of the Senior Director: Student Academic Services iv Abstract This thesis explores Inkatha and National Party politics in the period 1980-1989, focusing particularly on the relationship between them. It considers the nature of both parties’ political outlook, their objectives and how they sought to achieve those objectives. It asks what sort of relationship each party sought with the other and what significance they attached to this. It undertakes a detailed comparison between the politics of Inkatha and the National Party, thereby bringing each into clearer perspective. It is a leitmotiv of accounts of Inkatha that its politics were paradoxical and ambiguous. This thesis offers a clearer understanding of Inkatha’s ambiguous politics by providing the first characterization of the coherent philosophical assumptions which underpinned Inkatha’s politics and were reflected in aspects of its politics which, prima facie, appear irreconcilable or inconsistent. It is argued that Buthelezi, Inkatha’s leader, articulated a conservative political outlook which resembled that of philosopher Edmund Burke. It is contended that this form of Burkean conservatism was expressed not only in Inkatha’s criticisms of the African National Congress and revolutionary radicalism, but also in its opposition to National Party ideology and policy. By presenting the distinctive and coherent political outlook of Inkatha, this thesis poses a challenge to the reductionism of many prominent accounts which seek to understand the party solely in terms of its interests and the tactics employed in the pursuit of those interests. A better corroborated account is provided of Inkatha’s political priorities and how these reflected the changing circumstances of power contestation. New illustrations are offered of how Inkatha’s priorities and its perception of practical realities manifested themselves in its political approach towards both the National Party and the ANC. Previously unstudied Government documents are used to give novel insights into the politics of PW Botha’s National Party. It attempts to show in greater detail the fundamental differences of approach and objectives with Inkatha, and to reveal that these contrasts remained stark despite apparent shifts in the National Party’s politics in the second half of the 1980s. These unused documents are utilized in a clearer characterization of the politics of senior National Party cabinet minister Chris Heunis, which highlights many significant differences with the approach of his party leader, and a number of noteworthy similarities with Inkatha politics. This underscores the contingency of politics in the upper echelons of the National Party, and is particularly significant given that Buthelezi expressed hope for the emergence of more reformist tendencies within the National Party. However, it is argued that even Heunis did not attach the same degree of significance to Inkatha, and envisage the same role for it, that Buthelezi sought. Despite significant differences in their political approaches, both Heunis and PW Botha increasingly perceived a solution to the problems amongst young, urban Africans to be crucial to achieving their objectives. In the second half of the 1980s, they both believed that changing economic and demographic realities, in combination with heightened African radicalism, had rendered Inkatha unable to provide the type of leadership for Africans that was crucial for the National Party to resolve its political difficulties. This thesis suggests that Buthelezi’s failure to persuade the National Party to adopt his preferred approach to political change was not due solely to his stark political differences with PW Botha. Key Words: Inkatha, Buthelezi, Homelands, Apartheid, National Party, PW Botha, Chris Heunis, Reform, Negotiation, Armed Struggle, Edmund Burke, Mandela. v Opsomming Hierdie tesis stel ondersoek in na die politiek van Inkatha en die Nasionale Party in die tydperk 1980- 1989, en vernaam die verhouding tussen die partye. Dit belig die aard van die onderskeie partye se politieke uitkyke, doelwitte en hul strewe om daardie doelwitte te bereik. Vrae word gestel oor die aard en belangrikheid van hul verhouding met mekaar. ’n Breedvoerige vergelyking word getref tussen die