South African Bush War

The South African Bush War is a major internal conflict occurring in the apartheid Union of South Africa between the South African Government and countless black militant groups and other organisations.

## Background

The South African Bush War, reminiscent of the Rhodesian Bush War only 2 decades prior in neighbouring Zimbabwe, began informally following years of anti-apartheid peaceful activism failing to bring change, attributed mainly to the easing of sanctions on South Africa by several Western countries. Much of the crisis began in 1988, following minor civil rights victories for blacks in South Africa under P.W Botha. These included new laws allowing interracial marriage and other amendments. In 1989, UN imposed arms embargos on South Africa were lifted due to the common perception that South Africa was making strides to end Apartheid. By late August 1990, the USA, UK, France and Israel had all lifted sanctions on South Africa and began signing arms deals with it, citing improved progress on ending Apartheid, although most attribute this to fears of a resurgent Soviet Union and a need for an African ally, By 1990 however, political pressure against the end of Apartheid was rising among the white populace, and a parliamentary walkout on March 12 1990 placed extra political pressure on P.W Botha to avoid listening to anti-Apartheid activists. Political pressure to end Apartheid became increasingly weak in the face of an improving economy due to an end to sanctions and the lifting of arms embargoes.

On March 21, 1990, Nelson Mandela died of a reported stroke while under house arrest, triggering mass hysteria amongst blacks in South Africa due to widespread but unproven claims that the government had killed him. Many blacks accused the Apartheid government and Western nations of supporting their subjugation. Racial tensions and anti-black suppression rose to levels not seen since the early 1980s as a result.

## Pretoria Bombings

In the morning of the 28th of July, 1992, several bombs planted by unidentified assailants went off in the city of Pretoria, targeting the Palace of Justice, the National Party headquarters and a crowded church full of white churchgoers. The bombings killed 104 people and injured many more. The political outcome over the following weeks was immediate, with P.W Botha being given emergency powers to remain leader indefinitely, media communications being heavily censored and controlled by South African authorities, and tens of thousands of blacks being imprisoned without trial. Many blacks in South Africa came to the conclusion that a peaceful end to Apartheid was now impossible, and the only way for liberty to be achieved would be through a large scale guerilla war against the South African government.

## Ensuing crisis and current situation

Global support for South Africa was mixed following the Pretoria bombings, with most condemning the unidentified perpetrators. South Africa managed to purchase 50 Mirage 2000 fighter planes and 10 used SEPECAT Tigers from the United Kingdom in 1993, although political pressure has resulted in the two once again toning down their support for South Africa.

P.W Botha passed away from a stroke in 1994, resulting in brief political strife that eventually saw Barend Du Plessis take power, inheriting the extra privileges that Botha had due to emergency powers. Barend Du Plessis is seen by many as otherwise accepting of a compromise, but ultimately trapped between the demands of black freedom fighters and influential and powerful White South Africans.

In September 1996, the United Nations Security Council reconvened to try and reimpose new arms embargos on South Africa. China and the Soviet Union displayed support for the resolution, while France, the UK and United States expressed their belief that an arms embargo would alienate and embolden the South African government instead of trying to make it seek a peaceful resolution, with the United States eventually vetoing the resolution.

There is currently no singular organisation or group fighting against the South African Government. The ANU collapsed following its ban and the execution of its main leaders in 1996, contributing to the highly disjointed but lethal campaign against Apartheid rule. Some blacks who formerly served as servicemen in the South African military have become notable guerilla commanders. Arms are frequently smuggled in from Namibia, Bolivia and Mozambique in order to fight the South African government. There is also not much ideological homogeneity between the different militant groups - while most fight under a socialist banner, many have opposing viewpoints. For example, some believe that the Pretoria Bombings were a setup by the government to demonize blacks, others believe that the Pretoria bombings were done by blacks and were reprehensible, and some black militant groups believe that not only were the Pretoria Bombings conducted by black militants, but they were also completely justified.

The Bush War has resulted in a situation where many black neighbourhood near South African cities are effectively walled off, while the countryside is seen as a dangerous place to roam for whites. On the other hand, black lynchings are widespread in South Africa, to the extent that most blacks refuse to step foot outside of their segregated neighbourhoods for fear of death. There are also reports with mounting evidence that South Africa is intentionally mass deporting blacks from major cities to rural areas.

Black bantustans, while still considered as black homelands by the South African government, has seen increasing military presence due to the frequency of militant groups seeking refuge and stationing their bases within them.