Bophuthatswana

Repaboleki ya Bophuthatswana Republiek van Bophuthatswana Republic of Bophuthatswana Nominal Parliamentary Democracy/Bantustan ← 1977–1994 → Flag Coat of arms Motto Tshwaraganang Lo Dire Pule E Ne Tswana: If we stand together and work hard we will be blessed with rain¹ Anthem Lefatshe leno la bo-rrarona² Tswana: This Land of our Forefathers Location of Bophuthatswana in Southern Africa (1979-1994) Capital Mmabatho Language(s) Tswana, English, Afrikaans (all official) Political structure Nominal Parliamentary Democracy/Bantustan President Lucas Mangope Legislature Parliament  - Parliament President plus National Assembly  - National Assembly³ 24 appointed regional representatives 12 non-voting, appointed "specialists" with or without citizenship 72 elected MPs History  - Nominal Independence 6 Dec 1977  - Coup d'etat 1988  - Coup d'etat 1990  - Insurrection/Coup d'etat 1994  - Dissolution 27 April 1994 Area 40,000 km2 (15,444 sq mi) Population  -  est. 2,000,000       Density 50 /km2  (129.5 /sq mi) Currency South African Rand 1.Flags of the World: Bophuthatswana (South African homeland) 2.Constitution of the Republic of Bophuthatswana as amended in 1984, Schedule 1 3.Constitution of the Republic of Bophuthatswana as amended in 1984, Chapter 5

Bophuthatswana (meaning gathering of the Tswana people)^[1], officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana (Tswana: Repaboleki ya Bophuthatswana; Afrikaans: Republiek van Bophuthatswana) was a Bantustan – an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity – and nominal parliamentary democracy in the northwestern region of South Africa. Mmabatho was its seat of government.

Historically, Bophuthatswana's significance is twofold: it was the first area to be declared an independent state whose territory constituted a scattered patchwork of individuals enclaves, and during its last days of existence, events taking place within its borders led to the weakening and split of right-winged Afrikaner resistance towards democratizing South Africa.
In 1994, it was reintegrated into South Africa, and its territory was distributed among the new provinces of the Orange Free State (now Free State), North West Province, and Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga).

History

Establishment

Internal borders.
Bophuthatswana in red.

The area was set up as the only homeland for Tswana-speaking people in 1961. It was given nominal self-rule in 1971 and became nominally independent on 6 December 1977. For the first election shortly before independence, 48 seats in its 96-seat parliament were open, the remainder being reserved for appointed local chiefs. Kgosi Lucas Manyane Mangope became president after his Democratic Party (DP) gained the majority of them. Six seats were won by the Seoposengwe Party (SP).^[2][3]

Bophuthatswana's independence was not recognized by any government other than those of South Africa and Transkei, the first homeland to gain nominal independence. In addition, it was later internally recognized by the two additional countries within the TBVC-system, Ciskei and Venda.

Despite its official isolation, however, the government in Mmabatho managed to set up a trade mission in Tel Aviv, Israel,^[4] and conducted some business with neighboring Botswana in an effort to sway attitudes; furthermore, Botswana agreed on "informal arrangements" short of official recognition in order to facilitate cross-border travel.^[5]

International reaction

Arguing in favor of independence, President Mangope claimed that the move would enable its population to negotiate with South Africa from a stronger position: "We would rather face the difficulties of administering a fragmented territory, the wrath of the outside world, and accusations of ill-informed people. It's the price we are prepared to pay for being masters of our own destiny."^[6]

United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim stated that he "strongly deplored" the establishment of "another so-called independent tribal homeland in pursuance of the discredited policies of apartheid,"^[6] and in resolution A/RES/32/105N, passed on 14 December 1977, the United Nations General Assembly linked Bophuthatswana's "so-called 'independence'" to South Africa's "stubborn pursuit" of its policies, and called upon all governments to "deny any form of recognition to the so-called 'independent' bantustans."^[7] During a parliamentary debate in Great Britain on 6 December 1977, the Secretary of State replied in the negative when asked "whether Her Majesty's Government intend to recognise travel documents issued by the authorities of [...] Bophuthatswana for the purpose of admitting visitors to the United Kingdom."^[8]

While the majority of news reports echoed these official declarations, there were others which opined that Western critics should "suspend judgment for a time,"^[9] and despite its generally critical stance on South Africa's policies, Time magazine wrote that Bophuthatswana had "considerable economic potential" with an expected $30 million a year coming from mining revenues.^[6]

A Series of coup d'états

On 10 February 1988 Rocky Malabane-Metsing of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) became the President of Bophuthatswana for one day when he took over the government through a military coup. He accused Mangope of corruption and charged that the recent election had been rigged in the government's favor. A statement by the defense force said "serious and disturbing matters of great concern" had emerged, citing Mr. Mangope's close association with a multimillionaire Soviet emigre.^[10] During the subsequent invasion of the South African Defence Force, Mangope was reinstated and continued his reign unabated.^[3] PW Botha, president of South Africa at the time, justified the reinstatement by saying that "[t]he South African Government is opposed in principle to the obtaining of power by violence."^[10]

In 1990, during a second coup in which an estimated 50,000 protesters demanded the president's resignation over his handling of the economy, the New York Times reported that seven people had been killed and 450 wounded "after police officers in armored cars fired their rifles into the crowds and used tear gas and rubber bullets." After Mangope had asked for help from the South African government, he declared a state of emergency and cut telephone links to the territory "for political reasons," claiming that "normal laws had become inadequate."^[11] The United Nations' Human Rights Watch put the number of protesters at 150,000.^[12]

Coup of 1994

In the beginning of 1994 with South Africa heading for democratic elections, the President Lucas Mangope resisted reincorporation into South Africa. Forty people were wounded when Bophuthatswana Defence Force troops opened fire on striking civil servants. Mangope took an increasingly hardline stance, rejected Independent Electoral Commission chairman Judge Johann Kriegler's plea for free political activity in the territory,^[13] and fired the staff of the Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation, closing down two television stations and three radio stations.

The white supremacist group Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) took the opportunity to move in and try to restore the apartheid status quo, but was humiliated in early March when, in the presence of photojournalists and a TV crew, uniformed members of the AWB on an armed incursion to the Mmabatho/Mafikeng area shot at people alongside the road, injuring and killing many.^[14] They themselves were shot at by members of the Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) and the Police and forced to retreat. Three wounded AWB members were shot dead at point blank range by Ontlametse Bernstein Menyatsoe of the BDF while retreating.^[15] These killings effectively spelt the end of white military opposition to democratic reforms. Mangope was replaced by an interim government.

Dissolution

With the end of apartheid, of the 7 enclaves, 5 were added into the North West Province. Thaba Nchu became part of the Free State and Moretele (the easternmost part) became part of Mpumalanga. The capital, Mmabatho, was merged with Mafikeng and the combined city is now the capital of the North West province.

Geography and demographics

Bophuthatswana as of 1977

Bophuthatswana had a surface area of approximately 40 000 km² and consisted of seven enclaves dispersed over the former South African provinces of Cape Province, Transvaal and Orange Free State. The capital Mmabatho was situated in an area bordering Botswana. The homeland was set up to house Setswana-speaking peoples. In 1983 it had more than 1,430,000 inhabitants; in 1990, it had an estimated population of 2,352,296.^[16] Only 10% of Bophuthatswana's total land area was arable, and much of that was covered with scrub brush.^[6]

Though the majority of its population was Tswana-speaking, Tswana, English, and Afrikaans were all designated as official languages by the constitution.^[17]

Economy

Bophuthatswana was the richest of the TBVC-states as it had platinum mines, which accounted for two-thirds of the total platinum production in the Western world. It was also rich in asbestos, granite, vanadium, chromium and manganese.^[6] Additional revenues came from the Sun City casino, which was a day trip from Johannesburg and Pretoria, where gambling was illegal under the National Party government, as it was throughout all of South Africa.

Security forces

Flag of the BDF

Towards the end of its existence, the Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) had an estimated number of 4,000 troops, mostly infantry.^[3] It was organized into six military regions, and its ground forces included two infantry battalions, possessing two armored personnel carriers. The BDF air wing of 150 personnel possessed three combat aircraft and two armed helicopters.^[18] The president was commander-in-chief and was authorized to deploy the armed forces in both cross-border operations as well as domestically.^[19]

During its last days in 1994, the Bophuthatswana Police had 6,002 police officers, operating from 56 police stations throughout the territory.^[20]

With the dissolution of Bophuthatswana in 1994, the BDF and the Bophuthatswana Police were incorporated into the South African National Defence Force and the South African Police Service, respectively.

Notable persons

• Kgosi Lucas Manyane Mangope, long-time president of Bophuthatswana

See also

South Africa portal

• Bantustan
• Unrecognized countries
• Diplomatic recognition
• Puppet state
• Satellite state

References

Historical states in present-day South Africa
before 1600 Mapungubwe (1050–1270)
1600-1700 Cape Colony (1652–1910)
1700-1800 Swellendam (1795) Graaff Reinet (1795–1796)
1800-1850 Waterboer's Land (1813–1871) Zulu Kingdom (1818–1897) Adam Kok's Land (1825–1861) Winburg (1836–1844) Potchefstroom (1837–1848) Natalia Republic (1839–1843)
1850-1875 Orange Free State (1854–1902) Republic of Utrecht (1854–1858) Lydenburg Republic (1856–1860) South African Republic (1857–1902) Griqualand East (1861–1879) Griqualand West (1870)
1875-1900 Stellaland (1882–1885) Goshen (1882–1883) Nieuw Republiek (1884–1888) Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891)
1900-present Cape Colony (1652–1910) Union of South Africa (1910–1961) Transkei (1976–1994) Bophuthatswana (1977–1994) Venda (1979–1994) Ciskei (1981–1994) Republic of South Africa (1961–present)
more

Apartheid-era Bantustans in South Africa Bophuthatswana · Ciskei · Gazankulu · KaNgwane · KwaNdebele · KwaZulu · Lebowa · QwaQwa · Transkei · Venda Nominally independent Bantustans are in italics   Leaders and Administrators Nominal Independence Transkei President: Botha Sigcau 1976-1978 · Zwelibanzi Maneli Mabandla 1978-1979 · Kaiser Matanzima 1979-1986 · Tutor Nyangelizwe Vulindlela Ndamase 1986-1994 Head of Goverment: Kaiser Matanzima 1976-1979 · George Matanzima 1979-1987 · Dumnisani Gladstone Gwadiso 1987 · Stella Sigcau 1987 · Bantu Holomisa 1987-1994 Bophuthatswana President: Lucas Mangope 1977-1994 · Rocky Malebane-Metsing 10 February 1988 Administrators: Tjaart Van der Walt, Job Mokgoro March-April 1994 Ciskei Head of State: Lennox Sebe 1981-1990 (President) · Oupa Gqozo 1994 (Chairman of the Military Committee and of the Council of State) Administrators: Pieter van Rensburg Goosen, Bongani Blessing Finca March-April 1994 Venda President: Patrick Mphephu 1978-1988 · Frank N. Ravele 1988-1990 Head of State: Gabriel Ramushwana 1990-1994 · Tshamano G. Ramabulana January-April 1994 Self-Rule Gazankulu Hudson William Edison Ntsanwisi 1973-1993 · Edward Mhinga 1993 · Samuel Dickenson Nxumalo 1993-1994 KaNgwane Enos John Mabuza 1981-1991 · N.J. Badenhorst 1982 (Administrator) · Mangisi Cephas Zitha 1991-1994 KwaNdebele Simon Skosana 1981-1986 · Klaas Mtshiweni 1986 · George Majozi Mahlangu 1986-1989 · Jonas Masana Mabena 1989-1990 · James Mahlangu 1990-1994 KwaZulu Mangosuthu Buthelezi 1977-1994 Lebowa Mokgama Maurice Matlala 1972-1973 · Cedric Namedi Phatudi 1973-1987 · Z.T. Seleka 1987 · Mogoboya Nelson Ramodike 1987-1994 QwaQwa Wessel Motha 1974-1975 · Kenneth Mopeli   South-West Africa Basterland · Bushmanland · Damaraland · East Caprivi (self rule 1976) · Hereroland (self-rule 1970) Kaokoland · Kavangoland (self-rule 1973) · Namaland · Ovamboland · Tswanaland