Publication

South Africa’s relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to inclusive democracy has been heralded as a ‘miracle’ outside of its borders, with the result that its model has had tremendous impact in African countries attempting to navigate their own political transitions, as well as amongst international mediators brokering peace processes. This ‘model’ has focused in particular on two key mechanisms of the South African transition: the Government of National Unity (GNU), portrayed as a path to stability and unity at a political level, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), seen as a mechanism for promoting broader reconciliation and nation-building.