South African Parliament votes to restore citizenship to residents of so-called independent states

There were lengthy deliberations around the restoration of citizenship to the residents of Transkei, Bophutatswana, Venda and Ciskei. A Transitional Executive Council (TEC) was set up for these deliberations, consisting of the ANC and the SA government. These territories had about 10 million inhabitants. It was agreed in the deliberations that the restoration should be done simultaneously with the reintegration of these territories into South Africa. The formal announcement on the restoration was made by parliament on 15 December 1993. The date scheduled for the restoration of citizenship was 1 January 1994. The agreement sparked off reactions and counter reactions. The first reaction was from the president of Bophutatswana, Mr Lucas Mangope. He announced that his homeland would never participate in South Africa's first democratic elections scheduled for April 1994. He further maintained that his territory would retain the independence it gained from the South African government in 1977. This announcement produced a reaction from the ANC. The ANC felt that there would not be a resolution to South African problems if not all independent states were reincorporated into South Africa. It further contended that elections would not be possible as long as the citizens of the independent states were denied their South African birthright. The rejection by Bophuthatswana to be reintegrated into South Africa proved to be a powder keg as conflict broke out in that territory soon afterwards. Click here for more information about homelands ...