1990 – The Pretoria Minute

On 6 August 1990, representatives of the South African Government and the African National Congress met in Pretoria to adopt what became known as the Pretoria Minute. The agreement built upon the earlier Groote Schuur Minute, signed just a few months after Nelson Mandela's release from prison. It addressed several important issues, including the release of political prisoners, the return of political exiles, the review of security legislation, and the creation of conditions for peaceful constitutional negotiations.

One of the ANC's most significant commitments was the suspension of the armed struggle conducted through its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). In return, the Government undertook to continue removing obstacles to peaceful political activity. Although disagreements persisted and violence continued in parts of South Africa, the Pretoria Minute demonstrated that negotiation, rather than armed conflict, offered the best hope for resolving the country's political future.

Kimberley's Connection

Like communities across South Africa, Kimberley was entering a period of profound change. The city had experienced decades of apartheid legislation, political division and social inequality. Leaders such as Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, who spent his final years living in Kimberley, had helped shape the national debate about freedom, democracy and human rights.

The Pretoria Minute created renewed hope that meaningful negotiations could replace conflict. During the years that followed, Kimberley witnessed the gradual transformation of local government, education, business and public institutions as South Africa prepared for its first democratic elections in 1994. When Nelson Mandela visited Kimberley in September 1994, only a few months after becoming South Africa's first democratically elected President, he returned to a city beginning a new chapter in its history. His visit reflected the optimism that agreements such as the Pretoria Minute had helped to make possible.

Did You Know?

The Pretoria Minute marked the first time the ANC formally committed itself to suspending the armed struggle, creating the conditions that eventually led to South Africa's democratic Constitution and the country's first non-racial elections in 1994.