Enkele implikasies van die Erika Theron‐verslag vir die toekomstige staatkundige ontwikkeling van Suid‐Afrika

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to evaluate some politically relevant findings, recommendations and assumptions (underlying the recommendations) of the Theron Commission of inquiry into matters relating to the coloured population group. The report of this commission has a direct bearing on all future political developments in South Africa.

Firstly, the orientations of the majority and minority members of the commission towards the issue of institutionalised vs optional separation of individuals and groups in society, are analysed. These orientations manifested themselves in several majority and minority recommendations pertaining to the provision of separate facilities and group areas for Coloureds, as well as the system of race classification. The majority favoured the abolition of separate facilities for Coloureds, the institution of common business and industrial areas and a slackening of the rigid race classification system, emphasising thereby the importance of the liberty of the individual. The minority group favoured the direct opposite view, emphasising the vested interests of the White group in the South African society by advocating more institutionalised separation between ethnic groups. Several shortcomings in the report regarding the aspects mentioned above, are also pointed out.

Secondly, the findings and recommendations of the commission regarding the viability of the C.R. C. as an ethnic or communal authority, are analysed. As a result of constitutional defects, jurisdictional overlapping with other authorities and massive opposition by the Coloured population, the C.R. C. is found not viable. On this basis, the potential importance and operationalisation of the concepts of “communal authorities” formulated in the “federal” frameworks proposed by the United Party, the N.R.P. and Sprocas as well as that of the Turnhalle Conference, are questioned. The following hypothesis, substantiated by the findings of the Theron Commission, is put forward: One centralized collective political structure with federal characteristics seems to be the only realistic way of effectively accommodating the diverse political interests of especially Whites, Indians and Coloureds in South Africa.

In the third place, the commission's constitutional recommendations are analysed. They consist of requests for a new system of government (not modeled on the Westminister type) in South Africa; direct representation of Coloureds in political decision‐making bodies; and a committee of experts to formulate particulars of the proposed schemes. The brevity of these recommendations is criticised and seen as insufficient to operationalise the objectives of the Commission.

Fourthly, the government's reaction to the Theron report is analysed and it is concluded that the government apparently accepted the minority group's constitutional recommendations, although the cabinet committee's report on adaptions to the present Westminster system of government constitutes an implied attempt by the government to implement some of the constitutional findings and recommendations of the commission, but several problems in this regard still exist.