THE LAST DEFENDERS OF THE LAAGER THE LAST DEFENDERS OF THE LAAGER Ian D. Smith and F. W. de Klerk Dickson A. Mungazi Foreword by Donald G. Baker LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Mungazi,DicksonA. Thelastdefendersofthelaager:IanD.SmithandF.W.deKlerk / DicksonA.Mungazi. p. cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN0–275–96030–7(alk.paper) 1. Smith,IanDouglas,1919– . 2. Zimbabwe—Politicsand government—1965–1979. 3. Apartheid—Zimbabwe. 4. Primeministers— Zimbabwe—Biography. 5. DeKlerk,F.W.(FrederikWillem) 6. SouthAfrica—Politicsandgovernment—1989– 7. Apartheid—South Africa. 8. Primeministers—SouthAfrica—Biography. I. Anti- ApartheidMovement. II. Title. DT2984.S65M86 1998 968.91'04'092—dc21 [B] 97–39772 BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationDataisavailable. Copyright(cid:1)1998byDicksonA.Mungazi Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybe reproduced,byanyprocessortechnique,withoutthe expresswrittenconsentofthepublisher. LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:97–39772 ISBN: 0–275–96030–7 Firstpublishedin1998 PraegerPublishers,88PostRoadWest,Westport,CT06881 AnimprintofGreenwoodPublishingGroup,Inc. PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica TM Thepaperusedinthisbookcomplieswiththe PermanentPaperStandardissuedbytheNational InformationStandardsOrganization(Z39.48–1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Edward Mazaiwana, humanitarian, educa- tor and true son of Africa, whose contribution to the development of Africans is invaluable. Contents Illustrations ix Foreword by Donald G. Baker xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xix Abbreviations xxi Introduction 1 1. Beginnings of the Laager: F. W. de Klerk in the Context of Political Leadership in South Africa 25 2. Origins of the Laager: Ian D. Smith in the Context of Political Leadership in Colonial Zimbabwe 53 3. Cracks in the Laager: The Fall of Pieter W. Botha and the Rise of F. W. de Klerk 79 4. Chasms in the Laager: The Fall of Edgar Whitehead and the Rise of Ian D. Smith 107 5. F. W. de Klerk: The Man and His Mission 135 6. Ian D. Smith, the RF Policy, and Conflict from Efforts to Defend the Laager 159 7. F. W. de Klerk and the ANC: A Meeting of the Minds 183 viii Contents 8. De Klerk and Smith as the Last Defenders of the Laager: Summary, Conclusion, and Implications 213 Selected Bibliography 241 Index 259 Illustrations Photo essay follows page 106 1. F. W. de Klerk with President George Bush at the White House, September 1990 2. Cecil John Rhodes (1853–1902) 3. Nelson Mandela in prison at Robben Island 4. IanD.Smith,primeministerofcolonialZimbabwefrom1964to1979 5. The statue of J. C. Smuts in Cape Town 6. King Khumalo Lobengula of Zimbabwe 7. R.F.Botha,SouthAfricanforeignminister,F.W.deKlerk,andJames Baker, U.S. secretary of state 8. Godfrey Huggins, prime minister of colonial Zimbabwe from 1933 to 1953 9. Soweto, South Africa, 1994 10. African children in Smith’s rural Zimbabwe, 1974 x Illustrations 11. The youth of Soweto, 1994 12. Robert G. Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe