Advance to National Democracy

Report on the ANC National Consultative Conference

Johannesburg, 14-16 December 1990

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A Moment of Hope

The ANC's National Consultative Conference will go down in history as one of the major crossing points of our struggle.

It was the product of people's actions. It was the occasion for the people of South Africa to celebrate the gains made in our struggle. It was the occasion for us to map out the direction to a peaceful and democratic South Africa.

It ranks in importance with such historic moments as the Congress of the People convened in June 1955; the Defiance Campaigns of 1952 and 1989; the launching of the United Democratic Front in 1983; the release of Nelson Mandela on February 11, 1990.

It was a moment full of hope. Hope for the future of our country. Hope for a democratic future where peace shall prevail.

The drama began with the landing of the ANC President, Oliver Reginald Tambo, in Johannesburg on 13 December 1990. The entire country was electrified by this single event - it was indeed a dream of a nation come true.

The excitement continued into the following day when the conference proceedings began. Excited delegates arriving from every corner of the country and all parts of the world were assembled in the huge venue.

The national leadership of the ANC was present in full force. So was the leadership of Umkhonto we Sizwe. There were representatives from the camps of MK, from ANC international missions, the Women's League, the Youth League, COSATU, the SACP and the UDF.

Fraternal organisations, diplomats, a high-level delegation representing the Zambian government, deputations from homeland administrations, local and international media - all had gathered to witness and record this momentous occasion.

Security marshalls were hard-pressed to control the large crowd of people who had gathered outside the venue. A dedicated team of administrative staff worked round the clock to ensure that conference proceedings continued smoothly. A Press Centre was established-equipped with fax machines, modems, numerous telephone lines - to feed the appetites of the world.

This moment belonged not only to Cdes OR Tambo and NR Mandela or the thousands gathered there. It belonged to the people of South Africa who had fought and struggled for it. It belonged to those who will continue struggling until we have achieved a society free of the evils of racism and sexism, a South Africa where peace and democracy shall prevail.

Declaration of the 1990 National Consultative Conference

  1. The 1990 National Consultative Conference of the African National Congress has been convened on the soil of our country for the first time in thirty years. Our conference has brought together our freedom fighters and patriots from all over the world - from our camps, branches, from the underground, from overseas missions - to chart the course of our underground movement.
  2. We, 1603 delegates, have been inspired to pursue our strategic objective of transfer of power to all South Africans and to the construction of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, united South Africa as envisaged in the Freedom Charter.
  3. We unanimously and unequivocally rededicate ourselves to the four pillars of our revolutionary strategy, believing that there have been no fundamental changes in the political situation which would require a departure from our strategy.
  4. At the same time we are aware that we have, through the struggles of our people, succeeded in forcing the apartheid regime to accept that it can no longer rule in the old way. This has certainly introduced a new element to our strategic perspective.
  5. While we remain committed to exploring every possibility for a peaceful transition to a democratic South Africa, the apartheid regime has in recent months demonstrated that it is not committed to our objective of a democratic South Africa. The regime has its own agenda, that of retaining white domination in a new form. It is violating and distorting all its undertakings to the ANC and the people, as contained in the Groote Schuur and Pretoria Minutes.
  6. Our patience with this regime is running Out. We demand that the regime removes all obstacles in the way of genuine negotiations forthwith. We say to the international community and the regime that should real progress in this regard not be evident, we shall not hesitate to direct the NEC to suspend talks.
  7. We take this opportunity to remember all our fallen heroes and heroines. We salute our cadres in the camps, those in exile, those in underground structures, in MK, those in hiding and those in apartheid prisons and on death row for their sacrifices and undiminished dedication. We call on the regime to stop hunting Ronnie Kasrils and other comrades in hiding. We commit ourselves to defending our comrades.
  8. A special tribute is extended to our people in the rural areas, whose spirit of resistance in the most difficult conditions has inspired us over the years. We are painfully aware of our continued failure to give due attention and resources to the organising our rural people and their struggles. This we will rectify.
  9. Our courageous people in all parts of South Africa, men and women, have been the main architects for the crumbling of apartheid. As we stand on the threshold of the most challenging period of our struggle, we declare that 1991 will be a year of MASS ACTION FOR THE TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE PEOPLE. We believe that only our organised and militant people can write the final chapter of our struggle. We, dedicated cadres of the ANC, commit ourselves to tirelessly mobilising and organising our people for the prosecution of their historical task of finally bringing about a democratic, united, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa.

Who was there?

Conference Resolutions

On Negotiations and Suspension of Armed Actions

Preamble Noting that:

  1. Negotiations is only one form of struggle towards the transfer of power to the people for the creation of a non-racial, unitary and nonsexist South Africa.
  2. Conference supports and endorses the negotiations strategy outlined in the Harare Declaration.
  3. That the international community has committed itself to supporting the broad principles, procedures and processes laid down in the Harare Declaration, through the relevant resolutions of the Organisation of African Unity, the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations.

    Further noting that:

  4. The regime has not yet removed obstacles contained in the Harare Declaration; namely
  5. Consequently the regime has failed and/or neglected to create a climate conducive to peaceful negotiation for a new constitution
  6. The current endemic violence creates further obstacles to the creation of a climate conducive to peaceful negotiation
  7. This violence is part of a deliberate attempt by the state and its allies to destabilise the ANC and to sow terror and chaos amongst our people; and believing that whilst the Harare Declaration remains our lodestar, it is not a dogma.

We therefore resolve:

  1. To mandate the NEC to proceed with talks about talks and invest them with discretionary powers, within the stated policies of the organisation, and without any secrecy and confidentiality, in the execution of their tasks with a view to creating a climate conducive to peaceful negotiations.

    Further resolve that:

  2. In the execution of these tasks the NEC should regularly consult with ANC membership in all regions, on all major issues.
  3. Appropriate mechanisms be set up for such consultations and communication with the membership, by the end of 1991.
  4. The NEC involves in the negotiation its revolutionary allies.
  5. That a comprehensive negotiating team composed of chief negotiators, working groups, researchers be created as a matter of extreme urgency and that such teams include a fair representation of women.

    And further resolve that:

  6. The NEC serve notice on the regime that unless all the obstacles are removed on or before the 30th of April 1991, the ANC shall consider the suspension of the whole negotiation process. Prior to this date the ANC shall engage in a programme of mass action and all other actions, to achieve our objectives as quickly as possible. In the light of the endemic violence and the slaughter of innocent people by the regime and its allies we:

    6.1. Reaffirm our right and duty as a people to defend ourselves with any means at our disposal.
    6.2. We hereby serve notice on the regime that unless it ends this carnage, the ANC will find it difficult, if not impossible to adhere to the agreements entered into with the government, especially paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute pertaining to armed action and related activities.

Lastly conference resolves:

  1. To mandate the NEC to take active steps to create people's defence units as a matter of extreme urgency for the defence of our people.

On Violence

Noting that:

  1. The current violence sweeping our country is aimed at:
    1. Undermining and destabilising the growth and consolidation of the ANC and all other democratic forces
    2. Ensuring that the government dictates the pace of transition in terms of its own agenda
    3. Creating a state of confusion and demoralisation in our own ranks and among our people in an attempt to alienate them from our movement
  2. The violence is multifaceted and orchestrated through various agencies of the government viz. security forces, councillors, warlords, vigilantes, death squads, askaris and certain bantustan and white rightwing elements
  3. This violence is part of a counter-revolutionary strategy to maintain white rule in new forms

And believing that:

  1. The ending of the violence should be at the top of the agenda of the ANC and the entire democratic movement
  2. There is no contradiction between the Pretoria Minute and our right to self-defence

This Conference therefore resolves that:

  1. Mass campaigns be embarked upon to pressurise the apartheid regime to bring an end to this carnage
  2. Such mass action be waged within the context of our demands for:
    1. the removal of all obstacles to negotiations as embodied in the Harare Declaration
    2. the dismantling of the bantustans and all other apartheid structures
    3. an Interim Government and a Constituent Assembly
  3. The NEC, Regional Executive Committees, and branches to initiate, as a matter of urgency, the building of tight and disciplined defence committees and to ensure that the necessary resources are made available to these structures
  4. MK must play a facilitative role in the defence of our people
  5. Whilst in principle there is no opposition to talks with Inkatha and other surrogates of the regime, such talks must only take place after full consultations with all the regions of the ANC, particularly those immediately affected by the violence.
  6. A consultative workshop be convened with our allies, the SACP and Cosatu, together with other democratic formations, as soon as possible to set up a joint programme of action.

On Kaunda

Conference extends profound thanks to President Kaunda, the Government and people of Zambia for the selfless solidarity and friendship they have extended over the years to Comrade President Oliver Tambo. We thank them especially for all the assistance they extended to us to ensure the safe return of our president, after absence of more than 30 years and his participation in our historic Consultative Conference.

On behalf of the majority of the people of our country, we extend warm greetings to President Kaunda, the Government and the sister people of Zambia and wish them success in all their endeavour.

On the Underground and Umkhonto we Sizwe

We remain committed to the strengthening and growth of our people's army MK and the underground.

We therefore stand resolved:

  1. to continue with the process of recruitment and training of our forces for the purpose of defending our people against enemy orchestrated violence and to prepare ourselves for a central role in a new army whose tasks will be to defend and uphold democratic values.
  2. that the NEC is directed to ensure that the welfare and future of MK cadres is carefully and fully discussed and catered for.
  3. to build the underground to guarantee that our movement does not suffer any serious setbacks.
  4. that it is a necessity for our movement to maintain and develop a network to carry out appropriate underground work.
  5. that the NEC must demand that the police must explain the disappearances and deaths of a number of our cadres throughout the country in particular the recent disappearances of Comrades Charles Ndaba and Mvuso Tshabalala and the cold-blooded murder of Comrades Welile Saalman and Vukile Gondiwe.

On Sanctions

Cognisant of the necessity to counteract the growing perception that De Klerk and his government should be rewarded for recent reforms,

We resolve that the existing package be maintained.

As such the ANC appeals to the EC, US Congress, EFTA and all other international bodies to postpone any consideration of the issue of sanctions against apartheid South Africa until the ANC and all other democratic formations inside our country including trade unions and religious bodies initiate discussion with them on the issues.

On International Isolation

We resolve that:

  1. The existing sanctions campaign should be maintained.
  2. That the academic and cultural boycott should be reviewed with the aim of ensuring that it becomes inclusive of the many more institutions that genuinely promote principles of non-racialism, democracy and unity.
  3. In the sporting arena, all efforts be made to promote the positions of the democratic sports organisations in regard to the moratorium on international competition; and on sports development programmes.
  4. The socio-economic problems facing Black people in housing, education and health be urgently addressed by the government. The provision of these services is the responsibility of the government.
  5. The ANC's political task is to mobilise the public in mass campaigns to pressure the authorities to fulfil their tasks.
  6. A viable non-governmental organisation should be created to generate necessary economic resources inside the country, including those from the public sector to create projects in housing, education and health.
  7. With regard to investment, we should direct potential investors to such efforts as the "Viva Project" and which have the specific objectives of "black empowerment" and redistribution of wealth.
  8. We should oppose the lifting of financial sanctions, especially by the IMF, on the grounds that the country is still governed by a white minority regime.
  9. We should offer to discuss the issue of trade sanctions with all affected interest groups in the country, including the trade unions, business organisations and the government with a view to addressing apartheid practices within the export sector and tying the easing of trade sanctions to specific commitments to abandon such practices.
  10. For the obvious reason that the country is still ruled by a white minority regime, the arms embargo should remain.
  11. Equally, the oil embargo should remain. We could relate this to another matter which has now been raised publicly, namely the sale of existing oil reserves, and the use of the money generated to address the socio-economic needs of the majority, under the direction of a properly representative interim government structure. This structure would then have the possibility to negotiate an agreement with foreign suppliers for the replenishment of the stock in a post-apartheid South Africa.
  12. Urgent consultations be held with MDM organisations on the question of sanctions.
  13. The ANC urgently organise and call an international summit as a follow-up to the Arusha Sanctions Conference to devise and consult on new strategies on sanctions.
  14. The Commission considers the formulation of a contingency position on sanctions as tantamount to anticipating defeat on the issue. 15. A campaign against the recruitment of imported labour from Eastern European countries and Asia be immediately undertaken and be included in talks with the South African government.

Messages of support for the NEC

The ANC is grateful to the following organisations for their warm messages of support. Unfortunately, space does not allow us to reproduce the messages.