Rekonstruksie 100: Transformasie 10

'n Tentatiewe vergelyking van twee historiese ervarings

Abstract

Two experiences in the history of South Africa are compared - the reconstruction process after the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and the transformation process after the 1994-election. The former was driven from without South Africa and the latter from within, though its leadership functioned from the outside.

The reconstruction process can be placed in historic perspective, but it is too early to do the same in respect of the transformation process. Both aimed at a radical change of power. In the case of the reconstruction process the aim to anglisize Afrikaners was never reached; in stead Afrikaner nationalism grew and the Afrikaners took control and established a republic outside the British Commonwealth. In the case of the transformation process the change of power became complete when a black majority won the 1994 and consequent elections.