Federalism in South Africa

In 1949 the historian Arthur Keppel-Jones wrote ''Friends or Foes? A point of view and a programme for racial harmony in South Africa,'' which claimed that devolution into federalist states would promote harmonious relations between the different population groups of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. Several decades later, in 1974, the

Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith The Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith was a statement of core principles laid down by South African political leaders Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Harry Schwarz on 4 January 1974. It was signed in Mahlabatini, KwaZulu-Natal, hence its name. Its purpo ...

, which stressed the federal concept, was signed. In 1977 the

Progressive Federal Party The Progressive Federal Party (PFP) ( af, Progressiewe Federale Party) was a South African political party formed in 1977 through merger of the Progressive and Reform parties, eventually changing its name to the Progressive Federal Party. For it ...

was started, which advocated power-sharing through a federal constitution. Today, the political parties which advocate a federal system for South Africa, are the Democratic Alliance (the successor of the Progressive Federal Party) and the

Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party ( zu, IQembu leNkatha yeNkululeko, IFP) is a right-wing political party in South Africa. The party has been led by Velenkosini Hlabisa since the party's 2019 National General Conference. Mangosuthu Buthelezi founded ...

Political movements in South Africa {{SouthAfrica-poli-stub