Feather, D (2024) ‘‘‘A cultivated leader and sensible spokesman for black African views’’[1]: Britain’s Courting of KaNgwane Chief Minister Enos J. Mabuza’. History. ISSN 0018-2648

Preview

Text ‘‘‘A cultivated leader and sensible spokesman for black African views’’[1] Britain’s Courting of KaNgwane Chief Minister Enos J. Mabuza’.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (299kB) | Preview

Abstract

This article analyses British policymakers’ efforts to court Enos John Mabuza, Chief Minister of the self-governing South African homeland of KaNgwane, in the final years of apartheid. It contends that despite taking place nearly 30 years apart, there were striking similarities between British policy at the end of apartheid and in the era of decolonisation, particularly the efforts to build relations with moderate nationalists in an effort to maintain long-term influence. While KaNgwane was a small territory lacking in material resources, Mabuza, as a moderate Black leader working within the law to challenge apartheid, took on greater importance in the minds of British policymakers seeking a peaceful transfer of power in South Africa. This was helped by Mabuza's ability to maintain relations with a diverse range of important political actors including the South African government, KwaZulu Chief Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and the African National Congress in exile. Additionally, KaNgwane's close proximity to Mozambique, which at the time was in the midst of a civil war, also gave the territory greater prominence. This article will highlight how Mabuza used these interconnecting factors to demonstrate his value as an important ‘interlocutor’ for Britain, which in turn saw him extract important resources for both the KaNgwane people and his own family, as well as a degree of protection from interference by the South African government.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2103 Historical Studies; History
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Humanities & Social Science
Publisher:	Wiley
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	19 Apr 2024 09:36
Last Modified:	05 Sep 2024 10:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1111/1468-229X.13418
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/23044

View Item