South Africa and the 'Congo Crisis', 1960-1965

[摘要] English: On 30 June 1960, the Belgian Congo gained independence. Congo's newfound freedom was soon disrupted by a period of severe socio-political chaos and conflict that became known as the 'Congo crisis'. The exact nature of the relationship between South Africa and the Congo crisis largely remains unknown. The thesis addresses this historiographical omission by asking three main questions. First, how was South Africa involved in the Congo crisis? Secondly, what was the rationale for its involvement? Thirdly, how was the Congo crisis perceived inside South Africa? Besides significantly strengthening and expanding the existing historiography on Pretoria's involvement and South African mercenaries, hitherto neglected aspects of the crisis are also examined. These include an analysis of white refugees who fled from Congo to South Africa; the Pan Africanist Congress' and South West African People's Organisation's involvement in the 'Congo alliance'; and the views and opinions of South Africans from across the racial and political spectrum on the Congo crisis. The primary material used in this study consists of archival sources in South Africa, Belgium, Britain, and the United States. This material is complimented by South African newspapers and periodicals, as well as oral interviews. The Congo was of considerable importance to South Africa. Not only was it a central part of Pretoria's foreign policy, it also influenced the exile politics of South Africa's nationalist movements. In addition, it influenced South African perceptions of its own turbulent socio-political changes, as well as the political transformation of the African continent. The Congo crisis was used and abused by both proponents and opponents of apartheid South Africa in pursuit of their objectives. South Africa's relationship with the Congo crisis altered its internal and external politics during the first half of the 1960s. The scope of this thesis aligns itself with research on Southern African dynamics of the Cold War and African decolonisation, as well as South African foreign policy and Southern African liberation movements. It makes a significant contribution to the historiography on foreign interference in the Congo crisis, particularly the involvement of Southern African states.

[发布机构] University of the Free State