And South Africa Moves Closer to Talks : Holdout Pan-Africanist Congress joins ANC colleagues to form broad coalition

Despite factional violence that continues to erupt with disturbing regularity, South Africa still is a nation inching toward a break from its tragic past. Now its President Frederik W. de Klerk and the newly formed Patriotic Front, a coalition of more than 70 anti-apartheid organizations, want to begin negotiating before the end of this year to start shutting down a system that legally has made blacks second-class citizens in their own country. It’s an encouraging development.

The coalition, which includes Nelson Mandela’s powerful African National Congress (ANC) and the popular Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), is demanding an interim government and a constituent assembly elected on the basis of one person, one vote to oversee the framing of the new constitution. De Klerk would prefer to oversee the transition himself.

But in any case, the new unity among the major anti-apartheid groups should eliminate at least one obvious obstacle. The PAC--which was founded by militant leaders who had broken off from the ANC--has refused to negotiate with whites or participate in any multi-party talks. Now, the PAC is willing “to pre-negotiate,” according to its president, Clarence Makwetu. In effect, the PAC is willing to become part of the process.

The new coalition also includes the two influential black trade federations, the South African Communist Party and at least 75 predominantly black civic, professional and religious organizations. The Patriotic Front easily represents the majority of black South Africans with one obvious exception. Zulu Chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi and his Inkatha Freedom Party oppose the coalition. That is not surprising. Buthelezi opposes the ANC. He is a conservative ally of the De Klerk regime, which had backed his Zulu-based organization with covert support; the chief, however, still expects to take a seat at the bargaining table.

Before formal bargaining can begin, representatives from major political parties need to work out details governing the process. That multi-party conference, expected to open next month, should move all sides closer to a new, non-racial constitution that ends apartheid permanently.