PUNC XI: EYE OF THE STORM - The Apartheid Divide Sponsored by: Penn State International Affairs and ...
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PUNC XI: EYE
OF THE STORM
2018
The Apartheid Divide
Sponsored by:
Presented by:
Table of Contents
Letter from the Crisis Director Page 2
Letter from the Chair Page 4
Committee History Page 6
Delegate Positions Page 8
Committee Structure Page 11
1
Letter From the Crisis Director
Hello, and welcome to The Apartheid Divide! My name is
Allison Brown and I will be your Crisis Director for this
committee. I am a sophomore majoring in Biomedical
Engineering with a focus in Biochemicals. This is my second time
being a Crisis Director, and my fourth time staffing a conference.
I have been participating in Model United Nations conferences
since high school and have continued doing so ever since I arrived at Penn State. Participating in
the Penn State International Affairs and Debate Association has helped to shape my college
experience. Even though I am an engineering major, I am passionate about current events,
politics, and international relations. This club has allowed me to keep up with my passion, while
also keeping with my other passion; biology. I really enjoy being a Crisis Director and I am so
excited to do it again!
This committee is going to focus on a very serious topic from our world’s past;
Apartheid. The members of the Presidents Council during this time were quite the collection of
people. It is important during the course of this conference that you remember to be respectful to
other delegates (both in and out of character) and to be thoughtful before making decisions or
speeches. If you ever feel uncomfortable, please inform myself or the chair, Sneha, and we will
address the issue. While this is a serious and sometimes uncomfortable topic, it has a lot of
potential for debate and deliberation. My hope is that over the course of this weekend, the
committee can solve or make steps toward solving this issue. I am looking forward to seeing the
creativity and thoughtfulness of the delegates’ ideas - that is always my favorite part of
2
conferences.
I am looking forward to this committee and I am excited to see what you all come up
with! Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the conference, the
committee, or even Penn State!
Sincerely,
Allison Brown
amb7573@psu.edu
3Letter From the Chair
Honorable Delegates,
My name is Sneha Anmalsetty and I
am delighted to act as your chair as you
debate and deliberate Apartheid. Having
been involved with Model United Nations
since my freshman year of high school, I am
always curious to see how delegates can
alter history. I believe you will find, just as your real life counterparts did some decades years
ago, the issue at hand to be far more complicated than it appears, rift with centuries of ethnic,
cultural, and political tension. It will require a strong understanding of social politics and the role
of the government in enacting change throughout a state. It is your responsibility to work
cohesively with your committee members to create a prosperous future for South Africa, in
whatever form that may be.
Other than being your chair, however, I am also a freshman in the College of Engineering
at Penn State, pursuing a major in biomedical engineering with a hopeful minor in economics,
Spanish, or health policy administration on the pre-medicine track. Along with being a member
of PSIADA, I also participate in Club Taekwondo as a black belt. I contribute to the Penn State
literary magazine, Kalliope, and participate in the Undergraduate Research Society. On the
weekends, you’ll often find me sipping on matcha bubble tea or curled up in my blankets
watching political crime dramas and comedy sitcoms.
4I am looking forward to meeting you all in March and interested to see how you respond
to the challenges that South Africa will face throughout the conference. Feel free to reach out
with any questions you may have about Penn State or PUNC. Welcome to Happy Valley!
All my best,
Sneha Anmalsetty
sva5600@psu.edu
5Committee History
The President’s Council, convened in 1989, was composed of 60 members. 20 from the
House of Assembly, 10 from the House of Representatives, 5 from the House of Delegates, and
25 appointed by the State/State President. This caused the breakdown to effectively be, 20 white,
10 coloured, and 5 indian delegates, with 25 others being directly nominated. This council was
convened in order to resolve disputes between the three Houses regarding general affairs and
legislation. This council, along with the electoral college, made it incredibly difficult for the
white vote to be outnumbered. The National Party had much of the power in their hands, and
Botha, a prominent member of the National Party, served as the country’s prime minister since
1977. It was not until 1994 that South Africa adopted the first non-racial constitution, and Nelson
Mandela was appointed as the President.
There were many important parties at this time in South Africa’s history. In the House of
Assembly, there were three major parties; the National Party, the Conservative Party, and the
Democratic Party. In the House of Delegates, the Colored Labour Party was important. In the
House of Representatives, the Solidarity Party was important. The other members nominated by
the President were also of the National Party.
The Conservative Party of South Africa was a right-wing party that sought to preserve the
last vestiges that remained of apartheid. They were the official opposition in the whites-only
House of Assembly, but declined quickly after the demise of apartheid and were merged with the
Freedom Front in 2004. The general election of 1989 was the last non-racial election, and the
Conservative Party took a significant percentage of the white vote in South Africa. They led the
6“No” vote when the de Klerk and the National and Democratic Parties were seeking to end
apartheid.
The Democratic Party was the name of the political party that is now known as the
Democratic Alliance. The Democratic Party was officially convened in 1989, but was previously
known under other names during apartheid; it was previously the opposition to the ruling
National Party. They were part of the campaign to end apartheid; the “Yes” Vote.
The National Party was the ruling party of South Africa from 1924 to WWII and from
1948 to 1994. When the party returned to power they implemented new racial segregation laws -
Apartheid. The National Party also sought to establish a republic and preserve Afrikaner
cultures. From this party, came the Conservative Party. The Conservatives were formed because
of members who were unhappy with how the National Party had begun dismantling apartheid
during the 1980s. In 1989, P. W. Botha resigned as National Party leader and as State President.
He was then replaced by the much more liberal F. W. de Klerk.
The Labour Party was founded in 1969, and was opposed to apartheid. They participated
in the Coloured Persons Representative Council, which was a legislative body with very limited
powers, that was used to give coloured South Africans some power during apartheid. It was
dissolved in 1980, and turned into the House of Representatives in 1984.
7Delegate Positions
House of Assembly (4 positions)
● National Party (2 positions)
● Pik Botha - Botha, a prominent member of the National Party, has served as
the country’s foreign minister since 1977 under former leaders P. W. Botha and
B. J. Voster.has spent much of his career defending apartheid against foreign
criticism. Botha tried to run for leader of the NP in 1978, but ultimately
withdrew his candidacy over concerns about his liberal stances and his
perceived youth. He once again lost in his bid for the leadership of the NP in
1989 Botha recently signed a peace protocol with the President of the Republic
of the Congo, and said at the signing that “[his] government is removing racial
discrimination. We want to be accepted by our African brothers". His nickname
Pik is short for pikkewyn (Afrikaans for penguin) due to his likeness to a
penguin’s stance, especially when wearing a suit
● Barend du Plessis - Du Plesis serves as the minister of finance in the new de
Klerk cabinet, a position he carries over from the previous Botha
administration. Du Plesis inherited a complex situation with the dropping price
of gold and a severe drought that struck during the Botha era. He was also
tasked with restructuring South African international credit so that foreign
banks could still extend short-term credit to South Afric. Du Plesis also
contested for the leadership of the National Party, but was defeated in the final
round by de Klerk. Du Plesis was also at the signing of the Peace Protocol
alongside Pik Botha.
● Conservative Party (1 position)
● Andries Treurnicht - Treurnicht was one of the initial 22 members that quit
the National Party in 1982 to form the Conservative Party (CP). He was an
opponent of P. W. Botha and the the National Party’s reforms to apartheid.
Under him the CP was a strong advocate for self-determination, as opposed to
the rise of power-sharing policies with Coloureds and Blacks. In June 1989
Treurnicht and several other CP officials travelled to London and other
European capitals to gain support for the party’s goals. Under Treurnicht, the
CP was able to unseat the Progressive Party as the formal opposition party.
8● Democratic Party (1 position)
● Zach de Beer - Following the loss of its status as the formal opposition party in
1987, De Beer took over the leadership of the Progressive Federal Party (PFP).
With the support of Ambassador to London Dennis Worrall, and independent
Wynand Malan to form the Democratic Party (DP). The surging DP claimed 34
seats in parliament, and some credit their presence for the shift in policy by de
Klerk’s National party towards a power-sharing approach to government (an
idea originally supported by the defunct PFP).
House of Delegates (1 position)
● Colored Labour Party (1 position)
● Rev. Allan Hendrickse - Hendrickse was one of the founders of the Labour
Party, a major proponent for the rights of Coloured people throughout South
Africa. Hendrickse and the Labour Party dominated the House of
Representatives, with Hendrickse even serving on Botha’s cabinet. This drew
outrage from the African National Congress about his willingness to work so
closely with the people behind apartheid. Hendrickse eventually resigned from
Botha’s cabinet after various clashes took place between the two men.
Hendrickse led an act of public defiance when he broke the law by swimming
at a white-only beach in 1987. His Labor party held onto its control over the
House of Representatives in the 1989 election.
House of Representatives (1 position)
● Solidarity Parity
● J. N. Reddy - Reddy is a prominent Durban businessman of Indian origin. His
goals are to help the Indian population of South Africa grow and prosper in a
similar manner to the progress made by the Afrikaner community over the past
50 years. Reddy serves as the leader for the Solidarity party that formed a
coalition to take control of the House of Delegates in the election of 1989. The
Solidarity Party’s working majority marked yet another change in the
leadership of the House of Delegates, and continues the trend of instability
within the body.
9Nominated by President (5 positions)
● National Party
● Kobie Coetsee - Coetsee serves as the Minister of Justice on the new de Klerk,
but served in the same position since the beginning of the Botha administration in
1980. Coetsee has been a legal pioneer, introducing the idea of the small claims
court to South Africa, and spearheading the Matrimonial Property Act of 1984.
The Act had an important effect on the status of married women because it
allowed for property sharing between spouses. Coetsee has also engaged a series
of talks with the imprisoned Nelson Mandela since 1985.
● Magnus Malan - General Malan serves as the Minister of Defence in the de
Klerk cabinet, yet another hold over from the Botha Administration. Malan served
as the Chief of the South African Army, and later as the Chief of the South
African Defense Force. It was while in this role that Malan grew close to then
Defence Minister and later Prime Minister P.W. Botha. Malan has gained a
reputation for not being afraid of quashing political defense with violence. Malan
also oversees the newly formed Civil Cooperation Bureau.
● George Bartlett - Bartlett currently serves as the Minister for Public Works under
de Klerk. In his previous role as Minister for Mineral and Energy Affairs he often
faced calls for his resignation over the frequent petrol price hikes. Bartlett’s goal
is to make sure that food supply is sufficient for both domestic use and exports, as
well as making sure to increase the number of black people involved in
agricultural and other public works projects.
● Gerrit Viljoen - Viljoen serves as the Minister for Constitutional Development in
the newly elected de Klerk administration. Viljoen previously served as the
Minister for Education under P.W. Botha. Under de Klerk’s vision for a new
South Africa, Viljoen is tasked with investing new models for Constitutions for
the country moving forward. There have been some allegations of corruption
regarding his past role as the Minister for Education, but Viljoen has vehemently
denied the claims.
● Adriaan Vlok - Vlok serves as the Minister of Law and Order in the de Klerk
cabinet, a post he first took on in 1985 under P.W. Botha. Vlok first started his
career in the Justice Department and later served as the private secretary to Prime
10Minister B.J. Vorster. Under Vlok, the Ministry of Law and Order was
responsible for the suppression and detention of 30,000 people. Vlok also
oversaw the restriction of 17 anti-apartheid organizations as the Minister of Law
and Order in 1988.
● Jac Rabie - Rabie is an important figure in the current Labour Party. The party
once featured its leader Rev. Hendrickse as a member on P.W. Botha’s cabinet,
but lost out on their influential position due to Hendrickse’s dismissal from the
cabinet, following his controversial protest by swimming on a whites’ only beach.
Rabie and others have been calling for a better relationship with the National
Party, but only time will tell which faction of the party ends up coming out on top.
Infighting has damaged the public perception of the party, but they still look in
position to maintain order in the House of Representatives when they gained 69
out of the 80 seats up for grabs in the House.
Committee Structure
All of the delegates in the President's council each represent a member of parliament in
all 3 of the race based houses and the composition of the council is proportional to the number of
seats that each party holds in Parliament. Since the members of the council represent the interests
of the various parties, the committee will allow the council to act as the legislative body of the
government. Crisis will act as President de Klerk, and will enact any legislation that they find in
the nation's best interest. President de Klerk campaigned on the idea of ending apartheid and
hopes that the council can come together in helping him to achieve his goals.
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