Vital Journey for a Veteran Traveler : Longtime diplomat Cyrus Vance tackles the thorny task of easing South Africa’s crisis

Many men his age would be content to play a little golf, do a little gardening or relax a little with the grandchildren. But 75-year-old Cyrus Vance refuses to retire while he can still make a difference on the world scene.

This week Vance is on a fact-finding mission in South Africa. His goal: figure how to get the stalled constitutional negotiations back on track and reduce the deadly factional fighting that sparked the current stalemate. It’s a tough job for the United Nations’ special envoy, but it’s not the first tough job he has had.

Vance, a veteran diplomat, was secretary of state in the Carter Administration. In 1978 he worked closely with representatives of Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachem Begin of Israel. The negotiations led to the historic Camp David peace accords, and a friendship between Vance and Boutros Boutros-Ghali, then a member of the Egyptian team.

Boutros-Ghali is now U.N. secretary general. The United Nations sent Vance into Yugoslavia’s internecine conflict, in which he achieved mixed results. His inability to forge a lasting peace, however, did not diminish his commitment.

Can Vance succeed in South Africa? He has a few factors in his favor. He knows the region because he helped to negotiate the independence of neighboring Namibia from South Africa. He also has the backing of a U.N. secretary general who is African and committed to democracy in Africa. Under the leadership of Boutros-Ghali, the United Nations has sent international monitors to observe the tenuous cease-fire in Somalia; sent tons of relief supplies to the famine-stricken Horn of Africa and shown a keen interest in the burgeoning pro-democracy movements throughout the continent.

In South Africa, Vance enjoys the respect of the major players: President F. W. de Klerk, African National Congress Co-president Nelson Mandela and Inkatha Freedom Political Party leader Zulu chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi. But can Vance persuade each leader to compromise for the sake of the nation? Can he ease the deep feelings stemming from the Boipatong massacre last month that saw 40 men, women and children killed? Can the special envoy persuade De Klerk to rein in his security forces? Buthelezi to rein in violent supporters? Mandela to rein in militants in the ANC?

The South African crisis requires greater U.N. involvement, including mediators and international observers, but the white minority government opposes stronger international involvement. So Vance’s visit will have to do for now. He will succeed if he can help re-establish the rapport that once existed between De Klerk and Mandela and steer South Africa away from disaster.