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D.F. Malan Accord and Joint Statement by the State President, Mr F W De Klerk, and Mr Mandela, Deputy, President of the African National Congress

  • Country/entity

    South Africa
  • Region

    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name

    D.F. Malan Accord and Joint Statement by the State President, Mr F W De Klerk, and Mr Mandela, Deputy, President of the African National Congress
  • Date

    12 Feb 1991
  • Agreement status

    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement

    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level

  • Stage

    Pre-negotiation/process
  • Conflict nature

    Government
  • Peace process

    South Africa peace process
  • Parties

    Joint statement by the State President, Mr F. W. de Klerk, Mr Nelson Mandela, Deputy President of the African National Congress
  • Third parties

    -
  • Description

    Report of the Working Group under para. 3 of the Pretoria Minute. Sets out the terms of the ANC's suspension of armed activities and commitment to exclusively peaceful means.


Groups

  • Children/youth

    No specific mention.

  • Disabled persons

    No specific mention.

  • Elderly/age

    No specific mention.

  • Migrant workers

    No specific mention.

  • Racial/ethnic/national group

    No specific mention.

  • Religious groups

    No specific mention.

  • Indigenous people

    No specific mention.

  • Other groups

    No specific mention.

  • Refugees/displaced persons

    No specific mention.

  • Social class

    No specific mention.


Gender

  • Women, girls and gender

    No specific mention.

  • Men and boys

    No specific mention.

  • LGBTI

    No specific mention.

  • Family

    No specific mention.


State definition

  • Nature of state (general)

    No specific mention.

  • State configuration

    No specific mention.

  • Self determination

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum

    No specific mention.

  • State symbols

    No specific mention.

  • Independence/secession

    No specific mention.

  • Accession/unification

    No specific mention.

  • Border delimitation

    No specific mention.

  • Cross-border provision

    No specific mention.


Governance

  • Political institutions (new or reformed)

    No specific mention.

  • Elections

    No specific mention.

  • Electoral commission

    No specific mention.

  • Political parties reform

    No specific mention.

  • Civil society
    Page 1,
    5. (c) The Working Group:
    (i) agreed that the population at large has a right to express its views through peaceful demonstrations;
    ... (iii) further agreed that peaceful political activities and stability must be promoted;
  • Traditional/religious leaders

    No specific mention.

  • Public administration

    No specific mention.

  • Constitution

    No specific mention.


Power sharing

  • Political power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Territorial power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Economic power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Military power sharing

    No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

  • Human rights/RoL general
    Page 2,
    7. It is understood that nothing in or omitted from the agreement will be construed as invalidating or suspending the provisions of my law applicable in South Africa.
  • Bill of rights/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Treaty incorporation

    No specific mention.

  • Civil and political rights
    Human rights and equality→Civil and political rights→Vote and take part
    Page 1,
    5 ... (c) The Working Group:
    (i) agreed that the population at large has a right to express its views through peaceful demonstrations;
    (ii) further agreed that it is urgent and imperative that violence and intimidation from whatever quarter accompanying mass action should be eliminated;
    (iii) further agreed that peaceful political activities and stability must be promoted;
    (iv) further agreed that to this end joint efforts should be made to implement the intentions contained in paragraphs 5 of the Groote Schuur and the Pretoria Minutes to ensure that grievances and conflict-creating situations are timeously addressed.
  • Socio-economic rights

    No specific mention.


Rights related issues

  • Citizenship

    No specific mention.

  • Democracy
    Page 1,
    5 ... (b) The Working Group:
    (i) agreed that the democratic process implies and obliges all political parties and movements to participate in this process peacefully and without resort to the use of force;
    (ii) therefore accepted the principle that in a democratic society no political party or movement should have a private army;
  • Detention procedures

    No specific mention.

  • Media and communication

    No specific mention.

  • Mobility/access

    No specific mention.

  • Protection measures

    No specific mention.

  • Other

    No specific mention.


Rights institutions

  • NHRI

    No specific mention.

  • Regional or international human rights institutions

    No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

  • Criminal justice and emergency law
    Justice sector reform→Criminal justice and emergency law→Reform to specific laws
    Page 2,
    7. It is understood that nothing in or omitted from the agreement will be construed as invalidating or suspending the provisions of my law applicable in South Africa.
  • State of emergency provisions

    No specific mention.

  • Judiciary and courts

    No specific mention.

  • Prisons and detention

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional Laws

    No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

  • Development or socio-economic reconstruction

    No specific mention.

  • National economic plan

    No specific mention.

  • Natural resources

    No specific mention.

  • International funds

    No specific mention.

  • Business

    No specific mention.

  • Taxation

    No specific mention.

  • Banks

    No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

  • Land reform/rights

    No specific mention.

  • Pastoralist/nomadism rights

    No specific mention.

  • Cultural heritage

    No specific mention.

  • Environment

    No specific mention.

  • Water or riparian rights or access

    No specific mention.


Security sector

  • Security Guarantees
    Page 1,
    1. The Working Group was established under paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute, which reads as follows:
    In the interest of moving as speedily as possible towards a negotiated peaceful political settlement and in the context of the agreements reached, the ANC announced that it was now suspending all armed actions with immediate effect. As a result of this, no further armed actions and related activities by the ANC and its military wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe will take place. It was agreed that a Working Group would be established to resolve all outstanding questions arising out of this decision to report by 15 September 1990. Both sides once more committed themselves to do everything in their power to bring about a peaceful solution as quickly as possible.
  • Ceasefire
    Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
    Page 1,
    4. With reference to the word 'suspending’ as used in paragraph 3 of the Pretoria minute, the Working Group reiterated what was said in paragraph 4 of its Interim Report, namely that suspension occurred as a step in the process of finding peaceful solutions, with the presumption that the process would lead to the situation where there would be no return to armed action.

    Page 1,
    5. (a) Under the terms of suspension of 'armed action’ and 'related activities' by the ANC, with specific reference also to Umkhonto we Sizwe and its organised military groups and armed cadres, it was agreed that the following will not take place:
    (i) Attacks by means of armaments, firearms explosive or incendiary devices
    (ii) Infiltration of men and material
    (iii) Creation of underground structures
    (iv) Statements inciting violence (v) Threats of armed action
    (vi) Training inside South Africa
  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces

    No specific mention.

  • DDR
    Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
    Page 1,
    5 ... (iv) noted that by virtue of the fact that uMkhonto we Sizwe is no longer an unlawful organisation, membership thereof is not in violation of any of the provisions of paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute and the letter and spirit of the Pretoria Minute as a whole;
    (v) noted the historical fact that the ANC and uMkhonto we Sizwe had placed arms and cadres within the country;
    (vi) agreed that in the context of paragraph 5(b) (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, it was vital that control over such cadres and arms be exercised to ensure that no armed actions or related activities occur;
    (vii) further agreed that in the context of paragraph 5 (b) (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, a phased process be initiated in order to enable these cadres of the ANC to resume their normal lives and also facilitate and legalise control over the arms and the process to ensure such legality will immediately be taken further by the Working Group;
    (viii) agreed that where applicable, individual weapons shall be licensed in terms of existing legislation;
    (ix) further agreed that the security forces take cognisance of the suspension of armed action and related activities and that the parties hereto will remain in close liaison with one another according to the procedure prescribed in 6(a) of this document with a view to ensuring prompt and efficient reporting, investigation and redressing, where applicable, of all allegations of unlawful activities or activities contrary to the spirit of this agreement, by the security forces.
  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces
    Page 1,
    5. (b) The Working Group: 
    (ii) therefore accepted the principle that in a democratic society no political party or movement should have a private army;
  • Withdrawal of foreign forces

    No specific mention.

  • Corruption

    No specific mention.

  • Crime/organised crime

    No specific mention.

  • Drugs

    No specific mention.

  • Terrorism

    No specific mention.


Transitional justice

  • Transitional justice general

    No specific mention.

  • Amnesty/pardon

    No specific mention.

  • Courts

    No specific mention.

  • Mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Prisoner release

    No specific mention.

  • Vetting

    No specific mention.

  • Victims

    No specific mention.

  • Missing persons

    No specific mention.

  • Reparations

    No specific mention.

  • Reconciliation

    No specific mention.


Implementation

  • UN signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Other international signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum for agreement

    No specific mention.

  • International mission/force/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Enforcement mechanism
    Page 1,
    1. The Working Group was established under paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute, which reads as follows:
    In the interest of moving as speedily as possible towards a negotiated peaceful political settlement and in the context of the agreements reached, the ANC announced that it was now suspending all armed actions with immediate effect. As a result of this, no further armed actions and related activities by the ANC and its military wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe will take place. It was agreed that a Working Group would be established to resolve all outstanding questions arising out of this decision to report by 15 September 1990. Both sides once more committed themselves to do everything in their power to bring about a peaceful solution as quickly as possible.

    Page 2,
    8. It is recommended that this Working Group be continued to supervise the implementation of this agreement relating to paragraph 3 and the activities of the Liaison Committee and to give attention to further matters that may arise from the implementation of this agreement, such as proposed defence units.
  • Related cases

    No specific mention.

  • Source
    Originally sourced from ANC website: www.anc.org.za [no longer available from this source].
    Also available from the O'Malley archive hosted by the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory:
    https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02039/04lv02103/05lv02109/06lv02110.htm

The D. F. Malan Accord, 12 February 1991.

Report of the working group under paragraph three of the Pretoria Minute

1. The Working Group was established under paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute, which reads as follows:

In the interest of moving as speedily as possible towards a negotiated peaceful political settlement and in the context of the agreements reached, the ANC announced that it was now suspending all armed actions with immediate effect.

As a result of this, no further armed actions and related activities by the ANC and its military wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe will take place.

It was agreed that a Working Group would be established to resolve all outstanding questions arising out of this decision to report by 15 September 1990.

Both sides once more committed themselves to do everything in their power to bring about a peaceful solution as quickly as possible.

2. Having decided that it would not have been possible to submit a final report by the 15th September 1990, aninterim report was brought out on 13 September 1990.

3. Since then a number of meetings have taken place.

This report was finalised at a meeting on the 12th of February 1991.

4. With reference to the word 'suspending’as used in paragraph 3 of the Pretoria minute, the Working Group reiterated what was said in paragraph 4 of its Interim Report, namely that suspension occurred as a step in the process of finding peaceful solutions, with the presumption that the process would lead to the situation wherethere would be no return to armed action.

5. ( a) Under the terms of suspension of 'armed action’ and 'related activities' by the ANC, with specific reference also to Umkhonto we Sizwe and its organised military groups and armed cadres, it was agreed that thefollowing will not take place:

(i) Attacks by means of armaments, firearms explosive or incendiary devices

(ii) Infiltration of men and material

(iii) Creation of underground structures

(iv) Statements inciting violence

(v) Threats of armed action

(vi) Training inside South Africa

(b)The Working Group:

(i) agreed that the democratic process implies and obliges all political parties and movements to participate inthis process peacefully and without resort to the use of force;

(ii) therefore accepted the principle that in a democratic society no political party or movement should have a private army;

(iii) noted that the ANC had, in good faith and as a contribution to the process of arriving at a peaceful settlement announced the suspension of all armed actions and related activities, with the presumption that the process would lead to the situation where there would be no return to armed action;

(iv) noted that by virtue of the fact that uMkhonto we Sizwe isno longer an unlawful organisation, membershipthereof is not in violation of any of the provisions of paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute and the letter and spiritof the Pretoria Minute as a whole;

(v) noted the historical fact that the ANC and uMkhonto we Sizwe had placed arms and cadres within the country;

(vi) agreed that in the context of paragraph 5(b) (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, it was vital that control over suchcadres and arms be exercised to ensure that no armed actions or related activities occur;

(vii) further agreed that in the context of paragraph 5 (b) (ii), (iii) and (iv) above, a phased process be initiated inorder to enable these cadres of the ANC to resume their normal lives and also facilitate and legalise control overthe arms and the process to ensure such legality will immediately be taken further by the Working Group;

(viii) agreed that where applicable, individual weapons shall be licensed in terms of existing legislation;

(ix) further agreed that the security forces take cognisance of the suspension of armed action and relatedactivities and that the parties hereto will remain in close liaison with one another according to the procedureprescribed in 6(a) of this document with a view to ensuring prompt and efficient reporting, investigation andredressing, where applicable, of all allegations of unlawful activities or activities contrary to the spirit of thisagreement, by the security forces.

(c) The Working Group:

(i) agreed that the population at large has a right to express its views through peaceful demonstrations;

(ii) further agreed that itis urgent and imperative that violence and intimidation from whatever quarter accompanying mass action should be eliminated;

(iii) further agreed that peaceful political activities and stability must be promoted;

(iv) further agreed that to this end joint efforts should be made to implement the intentions contained inparagraphs 5 of the Groote Schuur and the Pretoria Minutes to ensure that grievances and conflict-creatingsituations are timeously addressed.

6. ( a) The Working Group agreed that designated members of the ANC would work with governmentrepresentatives in a Liaison Committee to implement this agreement, and that the existing nominated SAP and ANC liaison officials appointed in accordance with paragraph 5 of the Groote Schuur Minute shall serve assupporting structure of the Liaison Committee.

(b) It is agreed that this agreement will be implemented forthwith and its objectives attained as speedily aspossible. (

c)Itis further agreed that in view of the above the process of attaining the objectives contained in paragraph 2of the Pretoria Minute will be realised according to the procedures contained in that minute.

7. It is understood that nothing in or omitted from the agreement will be construed as invalidating or suspending the provisions of my law applicable in South Africa.

8. Itis recommended that this Working Group be continued to supervise the implementation of this agreementrelating to paragraph 3 and the activities of the Liaison Committee and to give attention to further matters that may arise from the implementation of this agreement, such as proposed defence units.

Joint statement by the State President, MrF.W. de Klerk, Mr Nelson Mandela, Deputy President of the African National Congress Delegations led by President F W de Klerk and the Deputy President of African National Congress, Mr Nelson Mandela, met in Cape Town today.

The problems experienced by the Working Group dealing with paragraph 3 of the Pretoria Minute, werere solved and agreement was reached with regard to the most pertinent points.

It was agreed that there was a need for ongoing consultation with the Working Group.

The Cabinet and the National Executive Committee of the ANC will consider the document containing the agreement and whenapproved a full text will be released immediately.

ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE STATE PRESIDENT CAPE TOWN 12 FEBRUARY 1991