Can the Giant be gentle? Peacemaking as South African foreign policy

ABSTRACT

This article presents the case for South Africa assuming the role of peacemaker to (i) promote South Africa's symbolic significance and (ii) sustain its relative international prominence. It is argued that at least until 1999 internal and external conditions would be conducive toward South Africa convincingly assuming such a role since, as regional hegemon, it possesses the necessary “hard”, but also potentially significant “soft” power to contribute toward regional peace and security. In support of this argument, the article explores a variety of intervention measures South Africa could apply – particularly, but not exclusively, in regard to conflicts arising in Southern Africa – with due regard to objections of an over‐extension of foreign policy commitments.