Bophuthatswana

See also: Tswanaland (homonymy)

The Bophuthatswana (called Bop ) was a Bantoustan (or homeland ) gathering the Ethnie Tswana, declared independent of 1977 with 1994 and located in the North-West of the South Africa during the period of the Apartheid.

In Tswana, Bophuthatswana means all the people Tswana . At the beginning of its existence, Bophuthatswana was also called Tswanaland ( country of Tswanas ).

History

In 1961, the territorial Authority of Tswanaland is created. It will be simply renamed in Tswanaland in 1968.

April 1st 1972, Tswanaland taken the name of Bophuthatswana and obtained the Autonomie the June 1st.

Its Indépendance was declared the December 5th 1977 by South Africa but was recognized by no other state nor by UNO. This independence have for consequence to make lose their South-African citizenship with his residents as in Tswanas residing in the remainder of South Africa. An anthem ( Lefatshe leno the bo-rrarona ) was adopted.

His first and single president, craftsman of autonomy and independence, was Lucas Mangope. He was re-elected the November 11th 1984 for a second mandate but exerted a despotic authoritarian regime and of 1968 to the March 13rd 1994. He survived an attempt at Coup d'etat the February 10th 1988 during which Rocky Malebane-Metsing was the president of Bophuthatswana during a few hours.

In 1993, during the constitutional negotiations on after apartheid, it refused to make reinstate Bophuthatswana within South Africa and joined the Alliance of Freedoms gathering of the conservative leaders of Bantustans with the Conservative party of South Africa and the Inkatha Freedom Party (with majority Zoulou).

In March 1994, its mode is reversed by a popular revolution, precipitated by the attempt of the Resistance movement Afrikaner (or AWB) of Extrême right-hand side to come to its help to maintain it with the capacity. March 13rd with the April 26th 1994, the transition towards rehabilitation in South Africa was ensured by the administrators Tjaart Van der Walt and Job Mokgoro.

Bophuthatswana is then reinstated within South Africa and its residents take share with the elections of the April 27th 1994.

Today, the Province of the North-West is consisted of the major part of old Bophuthatswana whereas Lucas Mangope became one of the founders of the Parti Christian-Democrat, very present in this province.

Geography

The surface of Bophuthatswana was of 40  330  km ² divided into seven enclaves discontinuous and disseminated between the provinces of the Cape, the Transvaal and the free State of Orange.

The capital was Mmabatho located close to the border with the Botswana.

Population

Bophuthatswana was supposed to gather the grounds where lived the majority of Tswanas. Actually, never again half of Tswanas lived in the Bantustan.

In 1978, on the 1  719  367 Tswanas which South Africa counted, 600  241 lived in Bophuthatswana (34,91%), 10  288 in the other Bantustans (0,6%) and 1  108  838 in the remainder of South Africa (64,49%).

In 1980, the census gave a report on 2  050  000 inhabitants of which 1  370  000 Tswanas, 140  000 Tsongas, 130  000 Sepedis, 90  000 Ndebele S, 90  000 Xhosas, 80  000 Basothos and 30  000 Zulu with an annual growth rate of 4%.

In 1992, the population was of 2  489  347 inhabitants.

The religion most represented was the Christianisme and the most spoken languages were the Tswana and the Afrikaans.

The loss of South-African nationality for Tswanas and the people living in Bophuthatswana (including non Tswanas) involved shifts in population and discriminations between the ethnos groups. Thus 600  000 people (of which 90% of not Tswanas) expelled of the white areas of the remainder of South Africa lived with Winterveld, gigantic a Bidonville without water nor sewers and not having access to the departments of health. Moreover, these refugees are regarded as illegal in Bophuthatswana and are victims of harassing and discriminations with respect to the police force and other inhabitants.

In spite of the campaigns of Propaganda of the South-African government presenting the Bantustans as the solution at the requests of the blacks, the latter continue to fight to be recognized like South-African citizens with whole share. Many revolts and of riots implied inhabitants of the Bantustans as to Soweto in 1976, of which the proper son of the president of Bophuthatswana.

Housing

The majority of the population, too poor, lived in Township S.

In the official cities (in opposition to the townships and with the squats), 333  620 people lived in 34  444 houses (either an average of 9,5 people per hearth). These hearths seldom exceeded the two parts, did not have running water, sewers or of electricity. Instead of improving housing conditions, the government preferred to invest 120 million US$ in the capital where only 400 houses were built and sold at a minimum price of 13  000  US$, out of reach very great majority of the population.

Health

The bad living conditions, the lack of medical care and promiscuity in the townships supported the appearance of diseases. Tuberculosis, Gastro-enteritis S and Malnutrition was currency. There was only one doctor for 16  000 inhabitants in Bophuthatswana against for 400 in the white areas and a bed of hospital for 224 people against for 61 in the remainder of South Africa.

Education

The number of students passed from 64  650 with 143  168 of 1977 with 1981 but the number of schoolboys of the primary education with decreased in same time. The government spent 11  155  US$ by student and per annum whereas the South-African government spent about it only 1  050.

Policy

The government of Bophuthatsawna was made of an National Assembly made up of 72 members elected for five years and 36 members named by the local leaders. The National Assembly elected a president for a seven years mandate.

There existed one party politique : the National Bophuthatswana Party (or BNP) which became the Bophuthatswana Democratic Party (or BDP) then the Christian Democratic Party (or CDP). The Progressive People' S Party (or PPP) was formed in 1987 but dissoud in 1988 after the coup attempt of State of its leader Rocky Malebane-Metsing.

The first president of Bophuthatswana was Lucas Mangope as of the independence of the Bantustan. He was set up and maintained by South Africa which approved its policy.

In theory, the Human rights were guaranteed by the government but in the facts arbitrary detentions were currency and the government could issue an illegal organization. The local leaders had extended capacities, in particular in term of justice and of order maintains.

For Tswana, it was difficult to enter to South Africa. It was necessary to be in possession of a passport of Bophuthatswana and to pass by the office of employment to work there.

Concerning the regulation of work, the policy of Bophuthatswana was unfavourable at the large South-African firms held by the white. To protect itself some, the Minister for Labor, Rowan Cronje, former minister for work in Rhodesia, founded a new labor regulation copied on that of Rhodesia and come into effect in March 1984  :

  • it empèche any activity of the Trade union S not being of Bophuthatswana. Thus three trade unions, the National union of the Minors, the Trade union of the Plain Workers of South Africa and the Trade union of the Plain Workers and the Commercial Restoration, were touched by this prohibition. The minors working in a mine of Union Carbide furentt touched by this prohibition because they belonged to the National union of the Minors. In order to enable them to continue to work, Bophuthatswana made an exception for this trade union.
  • any trade union must be made record near the government which determines if it is representative of the workers or if it seeks to become it.
  • the prohibition of a political support for the trade unions
But there was no minimum wage in Bophuthatswana what maintained them with lowest according to supply and.

In 1993, the army counted approximately 4  000 soldiers.

List Heads of State of Bophuthatswana

Elections

With the first election of the National Assembly which was held in September 1977, only 163  141 people (12% of the voters) voted. On the 300  000 Tswanas living with Soweto (not-included in Bophuthatswana), only 600 voted with the election of 1977 and 135 with that of 1982. On the 96 seats which comprised the National Assembly, 90 returned to Democratic Party and six in Seoposengwe Party including 48 seats allotted by the votes and 48 seats allotted by nomination.

New elections took place in October 1982 (nonknown results).

In October 1987, the elections were gained once again by Democratic Party : on the 108 seats of the National Assembly, 66 returned to him and the 42 remainders by other political parties. 72 seats were allotted by the votes and 36 per nomination

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