African National Congress/ Inkatha Freedom Party Agreement

• Country/entity

  South Africa
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  African National Congress/ Inkatha Freedom Party Agreement
• Date

  29 Jan 1991
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Post Apartheid South Africa and Namibian Independence (1990 - 1994) )
• Stage

  Pre-negotiation/process
• Conflict nature

  Government
• Peace process

  South Africa peace process
• Parties

  ANC, Inkatha Freedom Party
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  Parties commit to bring about an end to violence, particularly in Natal and the Transvaal; and acknowledge right of each organization to exist; call on SAG to ensure fair and effective peacekeeping in affected areas. Agree series of joint mechanisms to implement agreement.

• Agreement document

  ZA_910129_ANC_IFP Agreement.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

APPENDIX E

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS/INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY AGREEMENT:

29 JANUARY 1991

Joint statement of the IFP/ANC meeting

A meeting of delegates of the Central Committee of the IFP and the National Executive Committee of the ANC, led respectively by Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Dr Nelson Mandela, deputy president of the ANC, was held in Durban on 29 January 1991

The consultation between the two organisations was held under the joint chairmanship of Dr F T Mdlalose, the national chairman of IFP, and Mr A Nzo, secretary general of the ANC.

Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, president of IFP, and Dr Nelson Mandela, deputy president of the ANC, both addressed the meeting.

Both emphasised the historic importance of the occasion.

They stressed that they were extremely conscious of the high national and international expectations for the success of the meeting.

The primary purpose of the meeting was to explore ways and means to bring about the final cessation of the violence which has already cost more than 8000 lives and caused millions of rands of damage.

The leaders emphasised the need to normalise relationships between the two organisations, in pursuit of the aim of eradicating apartheid and establishing a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa.

It was agreed that it was imperative that the decisions taken and proposals adopted should permeate down to the grassroots through the use of all available channels of communications.

Discussions were far reaching and frank and both sides agreed on the need for further discussions.

At the end of the discussions the following agreement and joint declaration were agreed upon:

Agreement between the ANC and the IFP

INTRODUCTION

1. Both parties call for an end to the present violence in Natal and the Transvaal.

They will take steps to prevent acts of violence and destruction among their members or carried out by their members and they will act to deter other parties from instigating and carrying out acts of violence and destruction.

2. Both parties are committed to political tolerance and freedom of political activity.

The ANC and IFP have the right to exist as political organisations with their own policies and programmes.

The parties will act to create a climate between them free of forced recruitment and vilification.

3. Both parties will act to ensure that all persons with authority over public facilities will allow their use by all people irrespective of their political affiliation.

This applies to facilities such as venues and facilities specifically established for recreational and a variety of communal activities.

In particular both parties urge a return to school and normal learning and teaching and will take steps to ensure no pupil is excluded from school by virtue of political affiliation.

4. Both parties wish to state their firm belief that no matter what agreements may be reached between them, the attainment of peace also requires the existence of an effective peace-keeping role by the security forces and that the South African government must accept its responsibilities in this regard.

Both parties agree to take steps to ensure that all security force members would:

act without political bias;

receive professional and appropriate training as a peace-keeping force;

and

act and function with due respect for the sensitive community situations that exists.

5. Both parties believe that it is essential that a reconstruction and development programme ise xpedited to reduce the potential for violence.

This is particularly the case in Natal and the Transvaal hostels.

This programme must be above partisan considerations and be designed to meet the needs of all people irrespective of any affiliation they may hold.

The programme must give priority to refugees and displaced persons arising from the violence and take all steps to peacefully and effectively reintegrate divided communities.

IMPLEMENTATION

In order to implement the principles agreed upon today the high level contact between the IFP and the ANC will continue through existing joint mechanisms.

The committees charged with this task will, after due and proper involvement of local leadership and grassroots structures, report to the ANC National Executive and to the IFP Central Committee on obstacles encountered and progress made in terms of the following brief:

Principle 1

To develop practical steps to bring about an end to violence between the organisations in these regions, to facilitate local level peace initiatives and to act as crisis contact points.

The committees must consolidate and implement existing local agreements such as the Lower Umfolozi Peace Accord.

Principle 2

To ensure that all persons affected by Principle 1 are aware of this agreement and that they take active steps to implement it.

Principle 3

The ANC and the IFP will co-operate in initiating and implementing non-partisan reconstruction programmes in areas devastated by violence.

All resources available to any one organisation for reconstruction work should, whenever feasible and desirable, be made available to a trust fund to be jointly administered.

Principle 4

To develop a code or codes of conduct based on accepted principles and practices which do not impinge negatively on the rights of individuals and political groups and which are equally applicable to both organisations and all security forces.

Joint declarations of the ANC and IFP

We, the leaders of the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party meeting in Durban on 29 January 1991, appalled at the tragic violence which has decimated many of our communities over the years, now solemnly:

1. Call upon all our people, members of the ANC and IFP as well as our allies to cease all attacks against one another with immediate effect, and to promote the quest for peace within our communities;

2. Call upon our membership and supporters to desist from vilification of either of our organisations and leaders;

3. Further call on all our members and supporters not to coerce or intimidate anyone in pursuit of their strategies and programmes;

4. Resolve to use the existing joint mechanism to monitor all violations of the agreement and recommend appropriate action;

5. Resolve to organise a joint tour of all affected areas, by the deputy president of the ANC, Dr Nelson Mandela, and the president of the IFP, Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

Concrete arrangements for the tour will be made by appropriate joint structures.

Further top-level meetings will be held from time to time as need arises to address among other issues, joint activities to eradicate the system of apartheid within the shortest possible time.