The Role of Leadership in National Reconciliation Process: The Case of South Africa

Abstract

The main aim of this thesis is to investigate the national reconciliation process of South Africa and the role of Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk in the final years of Apartheid and the Mandela era. (1989-1999). Within this framework, the basic research question that this study focused on can be expressed as follows: what is the role of leaders in the process of national reconciliation in which the parties involved applied to move from conflict to peace During the national reconciliation process, one of the elements which undoubtedly transformed the conflict into a constructive nation-building exercise and united conflicting parties is the common denominator of effective leadership. Leaders have transformed conflicts from being a destructive and divisive force into a constructive way forward. Therefore, the thesis advocates that without the contribution of leaders, the national reconciliation process will be incomplete and would not achieve success.