A Modern History of Southern Africa

South Africa Filler-South Africa Filler-South Africa Filler


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1922 - A referendum on joining the Union of South Africa or gaining 'Responsible Governance' is held in South Rhodesia, in the end it's considered to close to
adequately go any direction, after almost a year of negotiations a mixed approach is decided on whereupon South Rhodesia would be an associate member
of Union while simultaneously being granted responsible governance, creating a loose Confederation between the two.

1944 - The British government transfers the Swaziland protectorate to the Union of South Africa after years of lobbying London. The Union would go on to
incorporate the protectorate into itself as an integral part.

1948 - The Elections lead to the United Party winning a plurality of 48.3%, the HNP-AP coalition managed to win 39.7% of the vote with the remaining vote
going to Independents and the Labour Party.

1950 - Following two years of political dead-lock the UP reluctantly agreed to a compromise version of the Nationalists demands, leading to the beginning of the
system of 'Apartheid en Gelykheid', commonly shortened to just 'Apartheid'.
The United Party managed to include a clause to the legislation that prevented it from being extended to South-West Africa.

1955 - The United Party suffers several minor splits, but manages to remain the largest plurality party.

1958 - The elections lead to a change in party strength with the Nationalists winning 46% of the vote while the United Party managed to gain 43% of the vote,
Labour 6% and the remaining going to Independents and the minor parties that split off from the United Party.

1959 - The Labour Party merges into the United Party.
 
1960 - The Republic Referendum is held, following its passage with 55% voting 'Yes' the Union of South Africa severed its links with the British Crown and
became the Republic of South Africa.

1961 - The elections result in a tentative victory for the United Party as it returns to its place as largest plurality party winning 46% of the vote, the Nationalists
win 41%, a loss do to low voter turnout while the new Progressive Party managed to win 3.4% of the vote, giving it two seats while the remainder of the vote
went to Independents.

1966 - Following the UN Resolution 2145 terminating South Africa's mandate over South West Africa the South African government met in secret with the
leaders of SWAPO and local leaders agreeing that, if they joined a to be created Federation, they would be given autonomy and not be subject to the
Apartheid programs going on in South Africa and would be given autonomy in various matters including cultural matters and some areas of the economy as
well as the Federal military being multiracial and that their would be no discrimination in Federal posts.

1968 - A referendum is held in Namibia on whether or not to remain independent or be one of the founders of the Southern African Federation.
While this was met initially with skepticism in Namibia, SWAPO and Namibian leaders were able to convince their people it was the best option as they
wouldn't have to go through the various hardships becoming independent brought such as seeking international recognition and forming a military.
One of the main reasons that ultimately swayed the populace was the idea, promoted by SWAPO, that this would be the best way to bring an end to Racism
and Apartheid in South Africa against their fellow blacks.
The referendum ended in a 54% 'Yes' vote to join.

1969 - The Damocles Project is started.

1970 - The Progressive Party and United Party create a 'permanent coalition' under the name 'United-Progressive Alliance'.

1973 - Three years after the declaration of the Rhodesian Republic Ian Smith met with leaders of South Africa on joining the Federation, however Namibia,
unkind to the idea of racism becoming even more abundant in the Federation objected to the idea initially.

1975 - The elections result in a near-majority for the UPA resulting in it winning 48.3% of the vote while the Nationalists won 47% of the vote.

1977 - As Ian Smith's regime began collapsing in Rhodesia, South African leaders and Smith eventually agreed to a compromise with Namibia, backed by the UK.
Rhodesia would hold a referendum in which all people, regardless of race would vote on joining the Federation under the name 'Zimbabwe-Rhodesia' and the
apartheidesque practices in Rhodesia would be ended, though all white land holdings would be allowed to stand and Smith and his government would remain
in place until the next elections, to be held no later than five years after joining, with successive elections every six years.
After many of the same arguments Namibia itself made to its people many of the anti-Smith groups, with the notable exception of a splinter faction of the
Zimbabwe African National Union led by Robert Mugabe, eventually agreed.

1978 - After a year of preparations the 'Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Referendum' was held with a strong, though not large 61% 'Yes' vote.

1979 - The 'Damocles Project' is completed leading to the test of the 'Sword of Damocles', the first test of a Nuclear weapons by South Africa, Namibia and
Zimbabwe were unaware.
The test was detected by American, French and British surveillance satellites.

1981 - Following two years of continuous calls for elections and street protests throughout Zimbabwe-Rhodesia the Smith government reluctantly called
for elections to be held at the beginning of the next year.

1982 - The results of the first free and fair elections result in a major loss for the Smith government, reducing his Rhodesian Front to a mere 15 of the 60
parliament seats. However Smith barely won the presidential election (48%) do to a very high turnout rate of his party and supporters and a fragmented opposition.

1983 - Elections are called in South Africa two years early. The elections marked a major change as the UPA managed to win 49% of the vote compared
to the Nationalists, who saw a massive loss, managing to win only 30% of the vote while the new Conservative Party won 15% of the vote.

1984 - Following two years of Smith's vetoing legislation on land reforms and equal rights legislation Robert Mugabe and his splinter group formed the
Zimbabwe Union of Black Africans (ZUBA), a militant and political organization, who sought to end Smith's reign as well as remove those form power they
saw as traitors to their own people. The parliament, fed up with Smith's vetoes and having Unified to a great extent, called for early elections to occur
the following year.

1985 - The elections marked the end to Smith's rule as he lost in his bid to be re-elected and his party was reduced to a mere 7 seats.

1986 - A Constitutional convention is called by the new Parliament to solve the problems associated with the 'Constitution question' and to fully reform
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.

1987 - Elections in South Africa are called a year early.
The elections continued the previous trend with the total collapse of the National Party.
The UPA won a solid 54% majority while the Conservative Party won 36% of the vote while the new Democratic Party managed to win 5% of the vote.

1988 - Following two years of negotiations a final draft for a Constitution is finished and put to a public referendum.
The new Constitution was approved with a 71% 'Yes' vote. The Constitution changed the name from Zimbabwe-Rhodesia to just Zimbabwe, placed an upper
limit on how much land any one person or group(s) could hold, expanded equal and civil rights, completely removed seat reservations for whites or any other
ethnic group and reduced and set elections to occur every five years unless early elections were called. Mugabe and his ZUBA group refused to participate.

1989 - The United Party along with the Democratic Party voted on the 'Equality Act', officially eliminating Apartheid in South Africa.

1991 - A freight train in the heart of Cape Town's industrial center and the main entrance hall of the parliament in Harare are destroyed in simultaneous bomb
blasts, leaving 15 dead and millions of dollars in damage. The militant/political group ZUBA, lead by Robert Mugabe claim responsibility and threaten to continue
until 'Zimbabwe is free from South Africa and every last white pig has been driven out of our glorious nation'. Small scale attacks would continue throughout the
decade and several small villages in Northern Zimbabwe would be captured by ZUBA. The government banned the political half of the group shortly after.

1992 - Negotiations on a new Constitution to replace the outdated and (now seen as) discriminatory Federal Charter begin.

1993 - The United Party and Progressive Alliance complete the merger process started twenty-three years earlier forming the United Progressive Movement.

1994 - The first free, Universal elections in South Africa occur, bringing the African National Congress to power with 51.6% of the vote.
The UPM saw large losses do to the influx of millions of new voters, only winning 31.4% of the vote, the remaining 17% was split between smaller parties and
independents.
Botswana, long encouraged by Namibia and with the additional safety, stability and opportunity afforded by joining the Federation, holds a referendum on joining,
the referendum is supported by a slim 51% majority leading to Botswana officially joining the Federation.

1995 - The new 'Constitution of the Federation of Southern Africa' is finished and put to vote. The constitution was approved with a 77% 'Yes' vote.
The new constitution removed any reference to ethnic groups and abolished race-based quotas, strengthened the Federation in several areas while also providing
the states authority over various other areas and finalizes the Federation as a nation-state by making it the sole legal personality with the authority to sign treaties,
though the states were allowed to form agreements with other nations on certain issues so long as they did'nt violate Federal law, endanger or otherwise cause
harm to the Federation as a whole, created a bicameral parliament with a lower house elected using proportional representation and an upper house comprised
of two elected representatives from each of the states and a directly elected President. The new constitution also codified the previously de facto rule of
requiring a country to hold a referendum if it wishes to be admitted into the federation.
The newly empowered Federal government officially signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while maintaining its right to develop up to 300 nuclear warheads,
though announcing it intended to maintain only 30 for the near and foreseeable future.

1996 - The first Federal elections under the new constitution occur, leading to a plurality Congress comprised of various state parties and coalition groups.
The new Congress votes to hold early elections in 2000, a year ahead of when they would occur normally.

1997 - As Lesotho spirals into chaos and violence the Federation intervenes, fearing a third coup in the small nation could set off fighting that would spill over
into South Africa and embolden the various rebel groups within the Federation itself.
The violence in Lesotho erupts into full Civil War despite the best efforts of South African forces.

1998 - South Africa petitions the UN to enter the conflict to help stabilize and bring peace to Lesotho.

1999 - Following two years of a bloody and highly violent conflict the Civil War is brought to an end as the UN/South African forces capture many enemy leaders,
while several other are killed or commit suicide before they can be captured and fighting comes to an end. The war would end up leaving 670,000 people,
nearly half the population, dead and 300,000 displaced refugees within and outside of the country.
Lesotho, now utterly devastated and incapable of coping with the aftermath of the war economically, socially or politically asked for admittance into the federation
in hopes of having true peace and being able to rebuild the country and lives of its people.
The Federation accepts, and begins helping Lesotho prepare to hold it in the fall of the next year after the infrastructure to support such a vote can be established
and the hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced people can return to their homes. South Africa continues its efforts to help rebuild Lesotho in the mean time.
 
2000 - As per the legislation four years previous, elections occur one year ahead of schedule. The election results are markedly different from the previous as groups
had formed over the previous four years. The legislature is now comprised of the Southern African Congress (40%), Alliance for Democracy and Progress ( 25%),
South African Liberal Alliance (11%), Southern African Socialist Front (10%), Federal Conservative Party (9%), Independents (3%) and state parties (2%).
The referendum on Lesotho joining the Federation is postponed until June of 2002 so voting infrastructure can be completed and refugees finish returning home.

2002 - The beginning of the three day national referendum on Lesotho joining the Federation of Southern Africa begins.
The second day is met with horror and violence as bombs explode at several polling places, killing 231 people and wounding another 476. The ZUBA took
responsibility for the bombings announcing that it would not 'allow the whit pigs and race-traitors of South Africa to gain even more territory from our black brothers'.
The referendum is put on hold for a week before continuing.
The Referendum passes with 71% voting 'Yes', the highest Yes vote of any of the three referendum's on joining in the Federations history.
In October the government announces that it has evidence that ZUBA is receiving funding and support from Islamic terrorist groups, including some linked to the
Taliban and Al Qaeda.
In December the government announces that it would be joining the War in Afghanistan as a part of the International Security Assistance Force, sending some
10,000 troops to the country for various roles including construction, security and combat.

2003 - In a move to help bring down the groups supporting ZUBA and hoping to win over the world South Africa joined the Coalition of the Willing in the
invasion of Iraq, though at the time behind the scenes stating that a non-military, or at least less violent strategy should have been pursued.
The Southern African Federation sent 25,000 troops to Iraq.
By this point the Southern African Federation had 50,000 troops deployed around the world, 25,000 in Iraq, 10,000 in Afghanistan, 14,000 throughout Africa
on peacekeeping and military assistance missions and 1,000 in other parts of the world as UN peace-keepers.

2004 - A suicide bomber detonates himself outside of the Presidential Palace in Pretoria after being confronted by guards, destroying the entire front entrance of
the building, killing the two guards, six near-by pedestrians and three people inside the building, including the Vice-President.
The government announced its toughest crackdown to date against ZUBA, going so far as to announce that 'for Mugabe, and the other despicable leaders of the
terrorist ZUBA, it will be the first and last time that we execute criminals.'. The government launches a military campaign against ZUBA comprised of five-thousand
troops across the Federation.

2005 - The third elections of the federation occur, and the first since the passing of the referendum resulting in Lesotho joining the Federation.
The election results, while not as dramatic as the previous saw several seat changes and the formation of a new party, the Southern African Green Federation,
comprised of the anti-nuclear South African Green Party and Zimbabwe Green Movement.
The new legislature is now comprised of the Southern African Congress (40%), Alliance for Progress and Democracy (23%), Federal Conservative Party (12%),
South African Liberal Alliance (10%), Southern African Socialist Front (9%), Southern African Green Federation (5%) and Independents and state parties (1%).
The Supreme General, several lesser commanders and a squad of the ZUBA paramilitary group are killed in a raid 90 miles North of the city of Bindura.
The event was caught on tape by embedded journalists and spread across the world over the Internet. The event creates global hatred (especially among the
Federations people) of ZUBA as they had been caught in the middle of a gang rape of young girls, aged 5-14, whose parents brutally murdered bodies were
discovered nearby.

2006 - The military manages to capture or kill an estimated 70% of the remaining ZUBA leadership by the end of the year, greatly diminishing the capabilities of
the group.

2007 - Following the confessions of several captured ZUBA leaders the main base camps for ZUBA were discovered and subsequently destroyed by the military.

2008 - ZUBA has been, for the most part, destroyed within the Federation with less than 2,000 estimated members left in the country. Its estimated another 3,000 had fled the country, including Mugabe.
 
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If1920's Rhodesia agreed to a gradual merge with SAfrica there would be no Ian Smith in Power in the 1970's.
 
If1920's Rhodesia agreed to a gradual merge with SAfrica there would be no Ian Smith in Power in the 1970's.

It did'nt merge, the initial Confederal-thing died pretty quickly, however it's meant more to set the stage for later on.
 
I'll be adding a chart showing the modern Political parties (state and Federal) later today since I did'nt go into as much detail as I would have liked
in the Timeline itself, in case anyone's interested.
 
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The political structure of the Federation of Southern Africa is unique, unlike most countries that are dominated by a single group of national
parties on the national and state/regional level Southern Africa has a dual structure, with each constituent member state having its own set
of political parties while a different group dominate the Federal level, however the two tiers are not completely separate, as the Federal parties
themselves are almost all comprised of members of different state-parties.

As the political structure of the Federation grows it's likely that this will change, already their are two major indicators of an eventual move
to a more consolidated system;
The first being the Southern African Congress, which, while being comprised of two separate parties acts as a single party, this could be
compared to the relationship between the Democratic Party and the Democratic Farm and Labor party in America.
The second is the recent growth and creation of several truly 'national' parties, parties that transcend the state-borders to make a single
Southern African Party. Examples of this are the Azania Socialist Party, Republican Alliance and Volkstaat Alliance.


The below chart shows the current set-up of the political parties in Southern Africa.
Only parties with seats in the Federal or state legislatures are represented.

Party Chart.png
 
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terence

Banned
What absolute bollocks!
Zimbos in 1922 OR EVER would not join with South Africa, associate or whatever.
If the UP wins in 1948--What about the Fagan Commission?
Smuts would still be PM--What about the European Immigration scheme?

Who in the UP would have sided with the Nats on Apartheid (except the prats who defected in the 1970s? WW2 had just ended and the Nats were Nazis--ever heard of the Torch Commando?

How could the Nats win a general election in 1958 without being in power to effect the gerrymandering from 1948 onwards that kept them in power?

Why would SA announce a Republic without the Nats to fiddle the results of the referendum?

Where is the Liberal Party?
Why would the SALP join the UP?????
Why would the Progressive Party re-join the UP? (In fact with a governing UP why would Helen and Haryy split in the first place?)

No 1948 Nat government = No Supression of Communism Act, No Political Interference Act, therefore an ANC that was not under siege and less manipulated by the SACP and therefor totally disorganised and split infintely. No 1948 Nat government means no scrapping of the Common Roll or the Native Representation members or any SWA MPs.

Do you realise that Swazi and Lesotho are no more than large farms that can be effectively administered by three or four policemen? They are geopolitically unimportant. A civil war in Lesotho (that anyone would notice)? Ho! Ho! Ho!

There is no mention here of International Isolation and sanctions. If they do not exist--why develop nukes? If there are international sanctions--what is their justification considering the Zimbabwe and SWA black electorate.

The SWA, Rhodesian, Mozambiquan and Angolan and, indeed the PAC/ANC insurgencies would not have existed without the Cold War. Who would have bothered to talk to SWAPO before the collapse of the Portugese regime in 1974?

Oh, and there is no Presidential Palace in Pretoria.
 
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What absolute bollocks!

I considered ignoring you at this point, really have you not heard of constructive criticism?


If the UP wins in 1948--What about the Fagan Commission?
Smuts would still be PM--What about the European Immigration scheme?

The UP did win IOTL, they got 49.1% of the vote to the HNP-AP's 41.6%.


Who in the UP would have sided with the Nats on Apartheid (except the prats who defected in the 1970s? WW2 had just ended and the Nats were Nazis--ever heard of the Torch Commando?

As it has a different name, and it's mentioned it's a compromise, you'd realize that the Apartheid mentioned is not the same one as OTL's.


How could the Nats win a general election in 1958 without being in power to effect the gerrymandering from 1948 onwards that kept them in power?

Did it say they controlled a near constitutional majority following the elections, no, it did not, they won a plurality of seats, only beating the UP by 3%.


Why would SA announce a Republic without the Nats to fiddle the results of the referendum?


Where is the Liberal Party?

It's butterflied away since their's no reason for it to come into existence.

Why would the SALP join the UP?????

To maintain some form of influence, if they did'nt join they'd simply lose any influence as their support dwindled and they'd not be able to gain any seats.

Why would the Progressive Party re-join the UP? (In fact with a governing UP why would Helen and Haryy split in the first place?)

The same reason any small party forms a coalition with a larger party, and while they share the same name, they are'nt the same entity.


No 1948 Nat government = No Supression of Communism Act, No Political Interference Act, therefore an ANC that was not under siege and less manipulated by the SACP and therefor totally disorganised and split infintely. No 1948 Nat government means no scrapping of the Common Roll or the Native Representation members or any SWA MPs.

Legislation still occurs, just in watered down versions do to the fact that all legislation has to be a compromise do to no majority.


There is no mention here of International Isolation and sanctions. If they do not exist--why develop nukes? If there are international sanctions--what is their justification considering the Zimbabwe and SWA black electorate.

The isolation and sanctions, while existent were'nt as strict do to the fact that the ATL version of Apartheid was'nt the same as OTL.

As for nukes their are a variety of reasons a country develops them, requirement, safety, prestige, because they can.
In this case it's do to South Africa being non-aligned and not totally trusting either side to stay out of its business.


The SWA, Rhodesian, Mozambiquan and Angolan and, indeed the PAC/ANC insurgencies would not have existed without the Cold War.

Who said their was no Cold War?


Who would have bothered to talk to SWAPO before the collapse of the Portugese regime in 1974?

People who want to take action while things are still favourable rather than wait until things are out of hand.


Oh, and there is no Presidential Palace in Pretoria.

Their is'nt one IOTL, no, however their is one ITTL, built in the 60's.
 
The political structure of the Federation of Southern Africa is unique, unlike most countries that are dominated by a single group of national
parties on the national and state/regional level Southern Africa has a dual structure, with each constituent member state having its own set
of political parties while a different group dominate the Federal level, however the two tiers are not completely separate, as the Federal parties
themselves are almost all comprised of members of different state-parties.

As the political structure of the Federation grows it's likely that this will change, already their are two major indicators of an eventual move
to a more consolidated system;
The first being the Southern African Congress, which, while being comprised of two separate parties acts as a single party, this could be
compared to the relationship between the Democratic Party and the Democratic Farm and Labor party in America.
The second is the recent growth and creation of several truly 'national' parties, parties that transcend the state-borders to make a single
Southern African Party. Examples of this are the Azania Socialist Party, Republican Alliance and Volkstaat Alliance.


The below chart shows the current set-up of the political parties in Southern Africa.
Only parties with seats in the Federal or state legislatures are represented.
Nice chart, Iori!:)
How are the alliances at state or federal level?
 
Nice chart, Iori!:)
How are the alliances at state or federal level?

On the Federal level the it's sort of Pragmatic, theirs no real coalitions, the parties more or less just work with each other when they have common goals, however since their's usually a majority party their does'nt tend to be alot of political gridlock.
The ADP, the largest party, has good relations with the ANC and SALA, but they have just as many differences as similarities.

On the state level their tend to be more coalitions, for instance South Africa is governed by a coalition comprised of the ANC and UDP while in Zimbabwe the PMC, ZAL and ZGM form a shaky, but workable coalition.
 
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