The National Party withdrew from the government of national unity (GNU) when the African National Congress refused to establish a consultative council to deal with minority concerns.
This is according to former president and NP leader FW de Klerk, who on Monday addressed the Cape Town Press Club on the role of minorities in post-1994 South Africa.
”Why continue with the pretence of power-sharing in the GNU with all its attendant political liabilities if there was no prospect of ongoing, meaningful power-sharing processes extending into the future?,” asked De Klerk.
He was talking about the ANC rejecting ”out of hand” a proposal to set up the consultative council, on which all parties with more than 5% of the vote would serve.
The Democratic Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party were also not interested in supporting such a mechanism, which sought to accommodate cultural diversity at the executive level of the government.
De Klerk, in a wide-ranging talk, said that nowadays there is an increasing tendency to require minorities to conform to the ruling party’s idea of representivity.
He said while this might seem fair and reasonable at first glance, closer examination shows this would in effect mean minorities will be subject to the control of the majority in every arena of their lives, be it jobs, education or sports.
”In effect, the concept of across-the-board representivity is irreconcilable with the constitutional principle of cultural diversity,” he said.
He said diversity needs an environment with numerous centres of cultural, social and economic activity, all existing in mutual toleration and respect.
Saying that the essence of diversity is when individuals, families and associations are free to decide how they lead their lives, De Klerk added that the reality is that whites and other minorities are feeling ”increasingly disempowered”.
”The question is, how will we be able to avoid black domination in a situation in which the black majority in effect now has a de facto monopoly of political power?”
De Klerk suggested that even though white South Africans and other minorities are being addressed as members of an ethnic group, they should redouble their commitment to the new South Africa and its Constitution.
”This is not the time for negativism and despondency,” he said.
On transformation in the country, De Klerk cautioned against unbalanced transformation that has the potential to undermine interracial harmony and impair the country’s ability to deliver services and promote economic growth.
”When does affirmative action become racial discrimination?” asked De Klerk.
Regarding sport, he opined that the government might have too often sacrificed the need to win on the altar of representivity.
Asked during the question-and-answer session about the ideal characteristics the president succeeding incumbent Thabo Mbeki should have, De Klerk said no country ever gets the ”ideal” or ”perfect” person.
De Klerk said for a country such as South Africa, the president needs to display dynamic and creative leadership, have an ”open heart and open ear” to listen attentively, and have his finger on the pulse of the entire country.
On transformation in the judiciary and the race row currently enveloping the bench, De Klerk said he is ”deeply concerned”.
He said it is important for the judiciary to sort out the problem itself, and cautioned MPs to respect its independence and tread carefully before using the race-row debate to score political points. — Sapa