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Political violence and conflict transformation: The African National Congress - Inkatha Freedom Party peace process in KwaZulu-Natal.
Francis, Suzanne
Francis, Suzanne
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2010
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Abstract
For almost two decades, an unofficial civil war ravaged the Province of KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Reef in the Province of Gauteng in what became known as black-on-black violence. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 people died, tens of thousands more were injured, and hundreds of thousands were displaced, rendered homeless and transformed into political refugees as a consequence of a conflict involving the African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). In this paper I examine the national institutional attempts at peace making that included the ANC and the IFP and I show why they failed to transform the ANC-IFP conflict in KwaZulu-Natal. I claim that the failure of these processes lay in a flawed understanding of the root causes of political violence which included a misunderstanding of the strategy of the ANC. I show how conflict has subsequently been transformed in KwaZulu-Natal, through a party initiated process that included hiding each other’s secrets. The implications of this include the institution of a culture of peace in the province, but one that is threatened by the specific nature of the process that was followed.
Citation
Francis, S. (2010). Political Violence and Conflict Transformation: The African National Congress - Inkatha Freedom Party peace process in KwaZulu-Natal. Gandhi Marg: A Quarterly Research Journal, 31(4), 649-677.
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Gandhi Peace Foundation
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Gandhi Marg: A Quarterly Research Journal
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Article
Language
en
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Series/Report no.
31
4
4
ISSN
0016-4437