Democracy at last

After a difficult negotiation process, South Africa held its first democratic election in April 1994 under an interim Constitution. The ANC emerged with a 62% majority. South Africa, now welcomed back into the international community, was divided into nine new provinces in place of the four provinces and 10 ‘homelands’ that existed previously.

In terms of the interim Constitution, the National Party and Inkatha Freedom Party participated in a Government of National Unity under Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president. The ANC-led Government embarked on a programme to promote the reconstruction and development of the country and its institutions.

The second democratic election, in 1999, saw the ANC increasing its majority to a point just short of two-thirds of the total vote. South Africa was launched into the post-Mandela era under the presidency of Thabo Mbeki.

In the election on 14 April 2004, the ANC won the national vote with 69,68%. The inauguration of South Africa’s third democratically elected President on 27 April 2004 was combined with the celebration of 10 Years of Freedom.