South Africa's National Peace Accord

Abstract

This article examines the background, implementation, and future prospects of South Africa's National Peace Accord, a wide‐ranging agreement to curb political violence signed by mainstream political parties in September 1991. The Accord is argued to be a novel and innovative attempt to reduce political violence, but one not without serious shortcomings and pitfalls. It explains the Accord's evolution in the context of the negotiated transition from apartheid to nonracial democracy in South Africa. The elements of the agreement are examined in detail, especially the role of regional and local peace committees established as mechanisms to reduce political violence at the grassroots level. The Accord's implementation is assessed, as is the role of international observer missions—especially the United Nations team—that links up with Accord structures. The article concludes with recommendations for strengthening the agreement and highlights the challenges, risks and opportunities its structures will face as political violence likely escalates in conjunction with South Africa's first nonracial election slated for April 1994.