Southern Journal for Contemporary History
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The Southern Journal for Contemporary History is published by the Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State. IThe Southern Journal for Contemporary History is published by the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State. It is a national, academic and accredited journal which publishes academically outstanding articles on contemporary African history, that is, post-1945 history. It will consider submissions relating to pre-1945 African history only if the authors show that the events and dynamics taken into consideration have had a clear impact on the more contemporary period (post-1945).The journal will be also open to articles that theoretically challenge this definition of contemporary African history and that offer a different interpretation. All articles submitted are reviewed by at least two experts in the field. At least two issues of the Southern Journal for Contemporary History are published annually, namely in June and December. Sometimes a number of related articles are published in a special edition which may also include articles on topics before 1945. Guest editors may assist the Editorial Board with these special editions. In such cases, the Editorial Board will still be responsible for the edition and their discretion will be paramount. Review articles, book reviews and archival reports are also considered for publication. Opinions expressed in articles or conclusions made, are those of the authors and do not imply the endorsement of the Editorial Board.
ISSN 2415-0509 (Online), ISSN 0258-2422 (Print)
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Item Open Access 1914: Rebellie of protes? Vryheid teen imperialisme, Paul Grobbelaar: book review(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2014) Wessels, AndreAbstract not availableItem Open Access The 1977 United Nationas mandatory arms embargo against South Africa: a historical perspective after 30 years(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2008) Wessels, Andre; Marx, LaurenAbstract not availableItem Open Access The 23rd African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) conference in Bloemfontein: a Polokwane political hangover?(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2010) Twala, ChitjaThe ANCYL played a significant role in the history of the ANC, therefore the actions of its members at their 23rd conference in Bloemfontein were disturbing for the ANC. Already in the build-up it was clear that rivalries between factions were rife and before the conference started there had been disruptions. The article highlights the reasons behind the rivalry and the ANC’s leadership’s handling of the situation. The rivalry was not due to ideological differences but to support for personalities. The ANC leaders and ex-ANCYL leaders aired their dissatisfaction with the unruly conduct and the pursuit of political self-advancement. Many members rejected the outcome of the leadership election and the congress was adjourned. The ANC intervened and at a closed session later that month the election of the five officials and the National Executive Commission was maintained. A number of organizational, policy and leadership issues were discussed. The divisions were, however, still apparent. The conference in Bloemfontein was obviously a political hangover of the ANC’s conference at Polokwane.Item Open Access The 23rd African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) conference in Bloemfontein: a Polokwane political hangover?(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2010-06) Twala, ChitjaThe ANCYL played a significant role in the history of the ANC, therefore the actions of its members at their 23rd conference in Bloemfontein were disturbing for the ANC. Already in the build-up it was clear that rivalries between factions were rife and before the conference started there had been disruptions. The article highlights the reasons behind the rivalry and the ANC’s leadership’s handling of the situation. The rivalry was not due to ideological differences but to support for personalities. The ANC leaders and ex-ANCYL leaders aired their dissatisfaction with the unruly conduct and the pursuit of political self-advancement. Many members rejected the outcome of the leadership election and the congress was adjourned. The ANC intervened and at a closed session later that month the election of the five officials and the National Executive Commission was maintained. A number of organizational, policy and leadership issues were discussed. The divisions were, however, still apparent. The conference in Bloemfontein was obviously a political hangover of the ANC’s conference at Polokwane.Item Open Access 40: the Journal for Contemporary History, 1975 to 2015(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2016) Wessels, AndreThe Journal for Contemporary History / Joernaal vir Eietydse Geskiedenis – henceforth referred to as the JCH – was established in 1975 at the University of the Orange Free State (since 2001, the University of the Free State) in Bloemfontein, South Africa. In the course of its first 40 years, the JCH had only five Editors. In the years 1975 to 2015, no fewer than 764 articles and 246 book reviews appeared in 94 editions of the JCH. In this article, written by one of the former JCH Editors, the history of this accredited, peer-reviewed academic journal is traced, and its content is critically evaluated. Issues that are addressed include the themes that have been dealt with in JCH articles, the extent to which the profile of the authors have changed in the course of 40 years, the evolution of the JCH’s Editorial Board, and what role book reviews have played. Although some of the information that has emerged from the analysis and evaluation may be regarded as merely ephemeral in nature, certain data and other information could be regarded as essential for determining the degree of success that the JCH has thus far achieved, and how it may be of value for future planning.Item Open Access 61 Tunneling Company: South African miners in the Middle East during the Second World War(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2012) Kleynhans, EvertThe South African Engineering Corps (SAEC) provided a variety of specialised units to assist the Allies during the Second World War. These units performed outstanding work in the East and North African theatres, as well as in Italy. Through their concerted efforts, they were able to provide much needed assistance to the troops on the ground. South African engineering troops, however, served in lesser known territories as well. The likes of 61 Tunnelling Company, under the auspices of the Mines Engineering Brigade (MEB) SAEC, was but one of these specialised units called upon to render services to the Allied forces in the Middle East. The company, representing a cross-section of miners from the Witwatersrand, was tasked to dig a series of tunnels that continued to the completion of the Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli (HBT) railway line. Upon completion of the task, the unit further carried out two more tunnelling tasks in the Middle East, namely at Ras Bayada and at the Kasmieh Irrigation Scheme. Due to the specialised nature of this unit, its exploits during the war only received minimal attention in the written histories of the South African forces. This article thus explores the history of 61 Tunnelling Company’s exploits in the Middle East during the Second World War.Item Open Access 61 tunneling company: South African miners in the Middle East during the Second World War(2012) Kleynhans, EvertThe South African Engineering Corps (SAEC) provided a variety of specialised units to assist the Allies during the Second World War. These units performed outstanding work in the East and North African theatres, as well as in Italy. Through their concerted efforts, they were able to provide much needed assistance to the troops on the ground. South African engineering troops, however, served in lesser known territories as well. The likes of 61 Tunnelling Company, under the auspices of the Mines Engineering Brigade (MEB) SAEC, was but one of these specialised units called upon to render services to the Allied forces in the Middle East. The company, representing a cross-section of miners from the Witwatersrand, was tasked to dig a series of tunnels that continued to the completion of the Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli (HBT) railway line. Upon completion of the task, the unit further carried out two more tunnelling tasks in the Middle East, namely at Ras Bayada and at the Kasmieh Irrigation Scheme. Due to the specialised nature of this unit, its exploits during the war only received minimal attention in the written histories of the South African forces. This article thus explores the history of 61 Tunnelling Company’s exploits in the Middle East during the Second World War.Item Open Access The A to Z of the Anglo-Boer War, Fransjohan Pretorius: book review(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2011) Wessels, AndreAbstract not availableItem Open Access An academic exchange between JCW Ahiakpor and F Gerits(University of the Free State, 2022) Grilli, MatteoItem Open Access Africa and the idea of international society(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2016) Spies, Yolanda K.The shared interests and values of sovereign states prompt them to commit to common rules, conventions and institutions within an inter-subjective “society”, where diplomacy is used as main currency. The idea of international society is, however, not unequivocal. Diversification of the identities and interests of an enlarging pool of states – after the Second World War, mostly contributed by Africa – undermines consensus on the rules of engagement. This is aggravated by the history of the aggressive expansion of international society from its traditional European base. African states have generally embraced the traditional norms (such as sovereignty and non-intervention) of international society, but the continent’s particular history has informed its inclination to use collective diplomacy (multilateralism) to challenge the structure of a deeply asymmetrical international system. In the process, the parochial part of international society that Africa represents has managed to export certain norms to the “older” members of the society. Of special note is the continent’s insistence on horizontal, rather than vertical cooperative relationships, and the fact that development per se has become a fixture on the global diplomatic agenda. The architecture of contemporary universal international society is much more complex and nuanced than ever before, and the role of a sub-society such as Africa – not just in relating to international society, but also in shaping it – is the focus of this article.Item Open Access The African National Congress Youth League's (ANCYL's) role as the "kingmaker": a moment of post-Polokwane blues?(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2009) Twala, ChitjaAbstract not availableItem Open Access African solutions for African problems: quiet diplomacy and South Africa's diplomatic strategy towards Zimbabwe(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2016) Landsberg, ChrisZimbabwe is not just a foreign policy issue for South Africa; it has become a domestic policy concern. Political, socio-economic and cultural issues have coalesced in a manner that have forced the Zimbabwe question onto the domestic agenda, and South Africa has opted to respond to the Zimbabwe challenge by way of the foreign policy strategy of “quiet diplomacy” as a form of “African solutions for African problems”. This policy was associated with South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki, but contrary to popular perceptions, the Nelson Mandela and Jacob Zuma governments also supported this strategy, even though they claimed that they distanced themselves from it. Six years after Mbeki’s departure as head of state, and into the Jacob Zuma-led presidency, the claim that there was a fundamental break with the policy of quiet diplomacy by Zuma, and that his administration pursued a fundamentally different strategy to that of his predecessor, was far-fetched. This article considers the concept of quiet diplomacy, initially seen as a form of African containment, representing methods used to first try and stop conflicts from spiralling out of control; secondly by reversing the effects of conflicts; and thirdly by rolling back conflicts by means of peaceful settlements of disputes or peace settlements; after which a country could be stabilised politically, and socioeconomically. The analysis then traces Jacob Zuma’s approach towards Zimbabwe and how his new administration came to endorse and support the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA), which they inherited from the Mbeki government, despite the rhetoric calling for a different approach.Item Open Access Afrikaanse historici as politieke kritici en koers-aanduiders(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2012) De Klerk, PieterAlthough professional historians usually concentrate on specific areas of research, they sometimes use their knowledge and understanding of history to give a perspective on contemporary events and provide guidelines regarding the formulation and implementation of government policies. Since the 1950s Afrikaner historians have participated in intellectual debates on the future of the Afrikaners as a minority group in South Africa. Three eminent Afrikaner historians, GD Scholtz, FA van Jaarsveld and Hermann Giliomee, produced a number of publications in which they commented on the apartheid policy of the National Party government. While Scholtz and Van Jaarsveld were very subdued in their criticism, Giliomee was more openly critical. On the other hand, Scholtz and Giliomee were more consistent in their criticism than Van Jaarsveld, who repeatedly changed his views. Scholtz and Giliomee, however, overestimated the power of the government to control the factors that determined South Africa’s political and economic development during this period.Item Open Access Afrikaner unrest within South Africa during the Second World War and the measures taken to suppress it(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2012) Fokkens, A. M.South Africa’s involvement in the Second World War was strongly opposed by elements within the white South African community, especially the Afrikaners. The majority of Afrikaners were historically anti-British, although some supported Britain, and the issue of participation divided them accordingly. Activist elements, such as the Ossewa-Brandwag, became platforms for discontent and various militant groupings violently opposed South Africa’s participation in the war. Gen. JC Smuts, infamous amongst Afrikaners for his brutal suppression of the Afrikaner Rebellion in 1914-1915, as well as striking miners in 1913-1914 and 1922, utilised the Union Defence Force (UDF) and South African Police (SAP) to facilitate internment, to spy and to guard strategic objectives in an effort to prevent sabotage and serious damage to the war effort.Item Open Access Afrikaner unrest within South Africa during the Second World War and the measures taken to supress it(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2012) Fokkens, A. M.South Africa’s involvement in the Second World War was strongly opposed by elements within the white South African community, especially the Afrikaners. The majority of Afrikaners were historically anti-British, although some supported Britain, and the issue of participation divided them accordingly. Activist elements, such as the Ossewa-Brandwag, became platforms for discontent and various militant groupings violently opposed South Africa’s participation in the war. Gen. JC Smuts, infamous amongst Afrikaners for his brutal suppression of the Afrikaner Rebellion in 1914-1915, as well as striking miners in 1913-1914 and 1922, utilised the Union Defence Force (UDF) and South African Police (SAP) to facilitate internment, to spy and to guard strategic objectives in an effort to prevent sabotage and serious damage to the war effort.Item Open Access Ailing of AIDS and unaided: a critical-historical review of HIV testing and "spaces" of disclosure for Catholic clerics and religious in South Africa during the 1990s(Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2016) Joshua, Stephen M.As was the case with the larger South African society during the 1990s, the Catholic Church was not without error in the manner in which it dealt with HIV and AIDS. Whereas the church was involved in activism for the rights of People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) on the outside, it ironically ignored, arguably even muted, voices of PLWHA within its inner ranks, especially the priests, religious, and candidates for spiritual formation and vocation at the seminaries. Sadly, HIV testing is intricately connected to the disclosure of HIV positive status for Catholic clerics and religious on account of the vow to celibacy. An HIV positive test result presents both a health and a moral dilemma for the church. So sensitive was the issue that the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops’ Conference debated on it in the entire 1990s, and abandoned it inconclusively. Meanwhile, HIV positive priests agonised in silence and the religious in convents would only confess their status on death beds due to foreseen hostilities by their peers and superiors. Based on oral interviews and archival materials, such as correspondence letters and minutes, the article is a critical-historical review of how the Catholic Church handled HIV testing and disclosure within its inner ranks during the 1990s. It is argued that, as was the case of condom use in HIV prevention, the Catholic Church struggled throughout the 1990s to accept that priesthood and religious life was not immune to the social challenge of HIV and AIDS and thereby failed to accept and care for HIV positive priests and religious.Item Open Access The air war over Angola, 1987-1988: an analysis(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2009) Scholtz, LeopoldAbstract not availableItem Open Access Airborne assault on Cassinga base, 4 May 1978(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2009) Breytenbach, Jan D.Abstract not availableItem Open Access Alternatiewe tot apartheid? Gespreksgroepe in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) gedurende die 1980's(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2013) Van der Merwe, Barend; Oelofse, MarietjieDuring the 1980s, the South African government was struggling to keep violence in the country under control despite the many reforms that the PW Botha regime has brought with it. The days of “’grand apartheid”, associated in particular with HF Verwoerd and the controversial homeland system, was over but certain key apartheid laws were still upheld. The government tried to create the impression that the policy of apartheid was a thing of the past, while on the other hand it was retaining political power. While the government made important changes to the apartheid policy, the Dutch Reformed Church also felt pressure from all sides due to its particular role in the development and sustainment of the apartheid regime. Lacking official channels, frustrated theologians and members of the Church resorted to informal discussion groups to initiate a think tank about the future of the Church and the country as a whole.Item Open Access Alternatiewe tot apartheid? Gespreksgroepe in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) gedurende die 1980s(Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State, 2013) Van der Merwe, Barend; Oelofse, MarietjieDuring the 1980s, the South African government was struggling to keep violence in the country under control despite the many reforms that the PW Botha regime has brought with it. The days of “’grand apartheid”, associated in particular with HF Verwoerd and the controversial homeland system, was over but certain key apartheid laws were still upheld. The government tried to create the impression that the policy of apartheid was a thing of the past, while on the other hand it was retaining political power. While the government made important changes to the apartheid policy, the Dutch Reformed Church also felt pressure from all sides due to its particular role in the development and sustainment of the apartheid regime. Lacking official channels, frustrated theologians and members of the Church resorted to informal discussion groups to initiate a think tank about the future of the Church and the country as a whole.