Special Interest Groups and South African Political Parties

Kathleen Bawn offers a theory that places special interest groups as the reason and proponents behind political parties. An example of how this applies in the history of South Africa is the transitioning from apartheid era to post-apartheid era politics. It can be argued that without the organizing influence of interest groups strengthening the ANC apartheid never would have ended. Ethnic interest groups focused on creating opportunities for blacks during the apartheid and achieved monumental victories, however as they have continued to seek redress South African politics have turned for the worse and cries of reverse discrimination have flown.

Apartheid would not have ended had it not been for courageous interest groups that pushed the ANC into power. The Afrikaner Broederbond (Brotherhood) was a white ethnic interest group that encouraged and enabled apartheid legislation and politics for decades though the National Party. As time passed it was eventually challenged by black ethnic interest groups such as the United Democratic Front and the Mass Democratic Movement that united resistance under the ANC. After years of struggle and support the ethnic interest groups succeeded in enabling a black man, Nelson Mandela, to be president of South Africa.

Since that time the struggle has continued though not always in positive ways. It is understandable that after decades of disenfranchisement black citizens of South Africa would need government assistance to open opportunities for them. However, black ethnic interest groups have pushed so far with Black Economic Empowerment that white citizens are exclaiming that they are exacting revenge by taking away opportunities for white people. The ANC, once a party of freedom for all, has become a party that bends to special interest efforts to over compensate for apartheid era events.

It can be seen that South African politics have been strongly influenced by ethnic interest groups over the years for good and bad. If it were not for the supporting and stabilizing influence these groups gave to their respective political parties the history of South Africa would likely have unfolded in another way.