An extensive collection of Padraig O'Malley's interviews conducted between 1985 and 2005 with many key personalities, who influenced South Africa's political history. The collection presents a broad range of perspectives on events in South Africa during and after the Apartheid period. There are also summaries of historical events by year as well as descriptions of the historical background to place events in context.
Padraig O'Malley is John Joseph Moakley Distinguished Professor of Peace and Reconciliation, MCCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts and Visiting Professor of Political Studies at the University of the Western Cape.
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Pre-Transition (1902-1989)
Chronologies of events, demographic and economy related data, key historical documents, charters and treaties, racial legislation, sanctions, the structure and mechanics of the apartheid state, information about the struggle including mass action, armed struggle and a collection of essays from some of the most well-known Robben Island political prisoners. Find the archive
here.
The crucial days of transition leading to democracy and the first free and fair democratic elections in 1994. This includes chronologies of key events, the creation of the Constitution, the CODESA negotiations, and some of the major external events, which threatened the negotiating process, including the Boipatong massacre, the Bisho massacre and the collapse of Bophututswana. Find the archive
here.
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Post-Transition (1994-1999)
The early days of democracy after the 1994 elections. Chronologies, demography and economy, surveys by SA Institute of Race Relations, and extracts from the Truth and Reconcilation commission including transcripts of key amnesty hearings, eye witness accounts of events, submissions by political parties and the reports by the commission itself. Find the archive
here.
The Mandela presidency ends and Thabo Mbeki takes the helm. Economic policy stresses fiscal prudence, getting the "fundamentals" right. AGSiSA replaces GEAR as the engine for growth and development; Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) begins to reshape the economic landscape and financial markets. South Africa starts to come of age. Much of the material that pertains to this section has been placed in the Maharaj component as it pertains to Shades of Difference: Mac Maharaj and the Struggle for South Africa. Find the archive
here.