Zimbabwe-South Africa Interstate Relations, 1980-1999
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Zimbabwe-South Africa Interstate Relations, 1980-1999 Lotti Nkomo THIS THESIS HAS BEEN SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES, FOR THE CENTRE FOR AFRICA STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE DECEMBER 2018 SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR NEIL ROOS CO-SUPERVISORS: DR DAVID PATRICK AND DR CLEMENT MASAKURE Declaration I declare that this dissertation is my own independent work and has not previously been submitted by me at another university or institution for any degree, diploma or other qualification. Signed………………………............. Date……………………………………… Lotti Nkomo Bloemfontein TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................................. I Opsomming .......................................................................................................................... II Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. III Glossary ............................................................................................................................... VI Map Showing Geographical Locations of Zimbabwe and South Africa................................ IX Chapter One Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction and Background ................................................................................................ 1 Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 5 Sources ............................................................................................................................... 16 Structure ............................................................................................................................. 18 Chapter Two ‘A Country Can Only Have a Foreign Policy It Can Afford’: The Impact Of Zimbabwe’s Independence on Its Relations With South Africa, 1980-1982 ............................................. 22 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 22 Background to Zimbabwe’s Relations With South Africa ..................................................... 23 End of Diplomatic Links ....................................................................................................... 27 Ideological Differences ........................................................................................................ 29 Zimbabwe’s Support For ANC .............................................................................................. 32 Zimbabwe’s Solidarity With Namibia ................................................................................... 35 Railway Diplomacy .............................................................................................................. 38 Trade Diplomacy ................................................................................................................. 46 South Africa’s Destabilisation Campaign ............................................................................. 50 British Commitment To Zimbabwe ...................................................................................... 55 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 60 Chapter Three ‘We Will Fight To The Last Man’: Zimbabwe’s Sanctions Campaign Against South Africa, 1983 To 1989 ............................................................................................................................... 62 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 62 Zimbabwe’s Sanctions Foreign Policy and Diplomacy .......................................................... 62 Further Zimbabwean Actions To Challenge South Africa ..................................................... 66 Challenges To The Implementation Of Sanctions ................................................................. 83 South Africa’s Response To Zimbabwe’s Actions ................................................................. 92 Impact of Zimbabwe’s Efforts .............................................................................................. 99 Zimbabwe’s Scepticism Over South Africa’s New Regional Policy ...................................... 101 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 103 Chapter Four ‘Do We All Understand The Games The Boers Are Playing?’: De Klerk’s Reforms and Zimbabwe’s Continued Hostility, 1989-1994 ..................................................................... 104 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 104 De Klerk’s Reforms and Zimbabwe’s Immediate Reaction ................................................. 105 Zimbabwe’s Continued Diplomatic Hostility ...................................................................... 109 Zimbabwe’s Continued Sanctions Campaign ..................................................................... 112 Significance of The 1992 Referendum In South Africa ....................................................... 119 Zimbabwe’s Interactions With Liberation Movements In South Africa .............................. 124 Zimbabwe’s Moments of Flexibility ................................................................................... 125 Zimbabwe’s Policy On The Eve Of Democracy In South Africa ........................................... 126 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 128 Chapter Five ‘South Africa’s Foreign Policy Is Not Down To Earth’: Zimbabwe, South Africa And The Struggle For Regional Dominance, 1994 To 1999. .............................................................. 130 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 130 End Of Apartheid: Promise Of Positive Relations? ............................................................. 131 Differences Over The Nigerian Crises ................................................................................ 147 Differences Over The OPDS ............................................................................................... 154 Differences Over The Congo Crisis ..................................................................................... 160 Mbeki: Promise Of a New Direction? ................................................................................. 173 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 175 Chapter Six ‘We Have Been Short-Changed By South Africa’: South Africa’s Domination of Zimbabwe, With Particular Reference To Trade, 1994-1999 ................................................................ 177 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 177 Zimbabwe-South Africa Trade On The Eve Of Democracy ................................................. 178 1994 and Beyond: Facts and Statistical Overview .............................................................. 183 Trade Negotiations ............................................................................................................ 184 Entrenched South African Protectionism ........................................................................... 190 Impact Of South African Protectionism On Zimbabwe ....................................................... 194 South African Rhetoric ...................................................................................................... 196 South African Economic Concerns, Business Interests And Union Pressure ....................... 199 Regional Factor In Trade Relations .................................................................................... 202 Implications Of Zimbabwe’s Overreliance On The South African Market ........................... 209 Zimbabwe’s Attempts At Persuasion ................................................................................. 210 Zimbabwe Considers Retaliatory Measures ....................................................................... 213 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 217 Chapter Seven Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 219 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 233 Abstract The thesis is an examination of Zimbabwe’s interstate relations with South Africa between 1980 and 1999. Using sources that include diplomatic correspondence, newspapers, legislative debates, official reports and scholarly works, it demonstrates that independent Zimbabwe’s relationship with pre-and post-apartheid South Africa was complex, multifaceted and shifted depending on time and context.