Politieke alternatiewe vir Suid‐Afrika op soek na ‘n nuwe paradigma

Abstract

In this article the present political conditions in South Africa are reviewed. The framework used is that of Thomas Kuhn who as philosopher of science examined the way in which scientific paradigms succeed one another.

According to Kuhn political revolutions (or change) take place in exactly the same way as scientific revolutions (or change). According to him the most important reason for this is that in both cases anomalies arise which cannot be accommodated by the prevailing paradigms. Alternative paradigms are then considered, but are only accepted if they can remove the anomalies of the first paradigm.

As far as political change in South Africa is concerned, the prevailing political order is examined first and the premises, motivations and objectives of the policy of separate development are stated. Attention is paid to the following problems experienced with the implementation of this paradigm:

1. political problems;

2. economic problems;

3. geographic problems; and

4. international problems.

The anomalies arising from the implementation of the paradigm are much more serious than the above problems. The most important of these are the following:

1. that at least half the Blacks will never be accommodated in the homelands. According to the population projections of the I D C there will be approximately 62,8 million Bantu in South Africa by the year 2020, at least 31,4 million of whom will live in White areas. For all practical purposes this population of approximately 30 million people will have no political rights, no immovable property and no constitutional channels through which their needs can be conveyed to the authorities;

2. that the Coloureds and Indians have neither their own homelands nor political participation in the sovereign bodies of authority of the Republic. The highest body in which they will be represented, will be a cabinet council which will have only advisory powers and in which the Whites will hold balance of power; and

3. the economic prosperity of the Whites depends on the increasing economic integration of the non‐Whites. This anomaly must be seen against the background that in terms of the present paradigm the economic prosperity of the Whites was in fact dependent on an increasing separation of the various groups.

The only alternative which can result from the existing arrangements in a meaningful way and at the same time provide a solution to the anomalies of the prevailing paradigm, is federalism. There are four possibilities, all of which qualify as federalism, namely confederation, association, race federation and geographic federation.

Confederal co‐operation could provide a solution to the relationship between the Republic and independent homelands. Association (such as that between Puerto Rico and the US and between West Berlin and West Germany) for the relationship between South Africa and semi‐independent homelands and race federation for the relationship between Whites, Coloureds, Indians and non‐independent Bantu.

In view of the fact that geographic federation in South Africa would inevitably result in Black domination on both the local and the central level, it is in fact contrary to the federal principle in general, namely to protect different identities and to achieve balanced co‐operation on matters of common interest. Therefore this form is rejected.