Originally published in 1989 and written by a long-time peacemaker who commanded respect from most political camps in South Africa, this book advocated constructive intervention in the South African conflict. It showed the growing element of pragmatic flexibility in the white leadership and argued that this more rational approach, combined with moral reform among the white population, promised reasonable prospects for the constructive accommodation of conflict in South Africa. In 1984 the author arrange the first meetings between government supporters and the ANC in exile in Lusaka, breaking a 24-year deadlock and significantly influencing public opinion in South Africa.
Biography
Hendrik W. van der Merwe was Emeritus Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town and Founding Director for the Centre of Inter-Group Studies, Cape Town.
‘Van der Merwe’s book contains a perceptive review of ideological shifts among key groups of political actors.’ Dean E. McHenry Jr, African Studies Review, Vol 34, No. 2
