Since apartheid ended, South Africa has been treated as some kind of saintly nation. The land of Mandela. Can do no wrong. Guiding star. It was never true. South Africa is a hellhole, ranking at the bottom of the list in sexual violence against women and crime overall. Its foreign policy, presumably enlightened by "moral" leaders like Desmund Tutu, in reality an old, bigoted crank, was to be looked to for guidance. But South Africa's foreign policy shows contempt for democracy and understanding for dictators.
Ok, I'll go where many dare not tread.
Apartheid Era South Africa is badly misunderstood.
Younger readers should understand that South Africa was public enemy #1 in the 70s and 80s. Worse than the Soviet Union, worse than Castro's Cuba. Idi Amin and Mobuto Sese Seko could slaughter Africans with impunity, but so long as Apartheid South Africa existed these whack-job leaders had cover.
Usual caveats apply.
I've published a bit on the South African military, that's a subject for another post, and learned a lot in the process.
South Africa's generals insisted that by the late 70's they understood Apartheid had to go. But, and this is a big one, they insisted on getting rid of Apartheid on their terms. The example they talked about was Rhodesia, where the white government all but surrendered to the black revolutionaries lead by Robert Mugabe. There followed a bush war lasting a decade and a half. They end of that war brought a political settlement which led to the release of Nelson Mandela, and new constitution, and Mandela's eventual election.
In 1989 The new South African president, FW De Klerk released Mandela, but the groundwork was lain by PW Botha, who in the 80's was a pariah. He met with Mandela several times. Botha even repealed some of Apartheid's more drastic provisions, including laws against interracial marriage.
Since Mandela the country has slowly fallen apart. This book is a good start to understanding why.
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