RIIA Discussion Paper
1 primary work
Book 52
Nelson Mandela's Government of National Unity and Reconstruction faces immense problems: limited resources to meet the high expectations of the black majority; a depressed economy which desperately needs external investment; and a culture of violence, in part rooted in bitter political rivalry, in part the product of decades of deprivation. Yet there are grounds for hope: the willingness of rival political elites to accommodate one another in the spirit of "compromise and consensus"; human and material resources, the effective and equitable use of which was stifled under apartheid; and a vibrant civil society underpinned by a host of non-governmental organizations which cut across ethnic divisions. These themes are the substance of this cogently argued paper; its conclusions are valuable for those seeking a detailed and thoughtful analysis of South Africa's present and future.