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Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867613784370053120 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Joubert, Jan Abraham |
| author2 | Grundlingh, Albert |
| author_browse | Grundlingh, Albert Joubert, Jan Abraham |
| author_facet | Grundlingh, Albert Joubert, Jan Abraham |
| author_sort | Joubert, Jan Abraham |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126363 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:38.867Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126363 Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 Joubert, Jan Abraham Grundlingh, Albert Grundlingh, A. M., 1948- Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. Press and politics -- South Africa -- History South African newspapers Elections -- South Africa Political campaigns -- South Africa Democracy -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1989-1994 UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As contemporary records of events, newspapers are excellent sources for historians when they subscribe and adhere to the journalistic principles of factuality, emotional distancing and balance. Globally, newspapers of substance subscribe to these principles, but such principles are only truly put to the test when the events which are reported on are so divisive and consequential that the way in which they are reported could substantively change the future. One such example was the South African referendum of 1992, in which white South African voters were asked whether they would give President FW de Klerk a mandate to continue negotiations aimed at the creation of a new Constitution – Yes or No. If voters were to vote Yes, it would mean the continuation of negotiations which, in the end, resulted in a non-racial democracy and an end to 340 years of colonial and post-colonial white political domination, including apartheid. If the answer was No, De Klerk undertook to trigger a whites-only general election and resign, creating a situation where white voters had rejected peaceful negotiations with the black majority towards a non-racial democracy. Leaders of the black majority, including African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela, vowed an armed conflict if the No vote won. The actual outcome of the poll was always uncertain, as De Klerk’s ruling National Party had shed enough white voter support to the right wing Conservative Party – which rejected negotiating with the ANC about democratic change – in eight consecutive by-elections, to imperil its governing mandate. Stakes were high, and editorially South African newspapers took sides in the referendum in no uncertain terms. This thesis examines the role of ten South African newspaper titles in the referendum campaign, measured against the principles of factuality, emotional distancing and balance. It is done by researching the events which took place during the election campaign from a variety of sources, and then measuring the information so obtained against newspaper coverage of the campaign. Information from books and archives are combined with the lived experiences and opinions of prominent and senior politicians and journalists of the time. The focus is on the expectations, and the practicalities, of newspapers’ roles, weighed up against the ideals of journalism and the actual role of newspapers in the referendum campaign of 1992. In conclusion, stock is taken of the relative quality, worth and purpose of newspapers as a source for research, and for writing history about times of crisis. Thus, this thesis strives to test the relative value, expectations and importance of newspapers as a source for historians, especially during times of high pressure or crisis, drawing from the newspaper coverage of the 1992 referendum. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Koerante is, as tydgenootlike rekords van gebeure, uitstekende bronne vir geskiedskrywing wanneer voldoen word aan die joernalistieke beginsels van feitelikheid, afstandelikheid en balans. Daardie beginsels word deur gesaghebbende koerante wêreldwyd onderskryf, en word veral getoets wanneer die gebeure wat beskryf word verdelend is, en sulke ernstige gevolge sal hê dat die manier waarop dit gerapporteer word ’n invloed op die toekoms kan uitoefen. Een so ’n geval was die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992, toe wit kiesers gevra is of hulle ’n mandaat sal gee aan die staatspresident, FW de Klerk, om voort te gaan met onderhandelinge vir ’n nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse grondwet – Ja of Nee. As die kiesers hul mandaat gee, sou die onderhandelings wat uiteindelik sou uitloop op ’n nie-rassige demokrasie en die opsegging van 340 jaar van wit koloniale en post-koloniale magsoorheersing (insluitend apartheid) voortgaan. As hulle hul mandaat sou weerhou, sou De Klerk ’n algemene verkiesing vir wit kiesers uitskryf en bedank, met wit kiesers wat vreedsame onderhandelings oor demokrasie met die land se swart meerderheid sou verwerp het, en leiers van die swart meerderheid, insluitend Nelson Mandela van die African National Congress, wat in so ’n geval ’n intense gewapende magstryd belowe het. Baie was dus op die spel. Boonop het die regerende Nasionale Party in agt opeenvolgende tussenverkiesings soveel steun aan die regse Konserwatiewe Party afgestaan dat die uitslag van die referendum in die weegskaal was. In hierdie omstandighede het Suid-Afrikaanse koerante onomwonde redaksioneel kant gekies in die referendumstryd. Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die rol van tien Suid-Afrikaanse koeranttitels tydens die referendumveldtog van 1992 binne die joernalistieke ideale van feitelikheid, afstandelikheid en balans. Dit word gedoen deur die gebeure tydens die referendumveldtog uit verskeie bronne na te vors en neer te pen, en dan die koerante se dekking daarvan te evalueer. Destydse rolspelers in die joernalistiek en politiek se insette oor die teoretiese en praktiese rol van die koerante word opgeweeg teen die koerantdekking van die 1992-referendumveldtog. Dit lei tot ’n gevolgtrekking oor en bestekopname van die relatiewe waarde en nut van koerantdekking vir navorsing en geskiedskrywing in historiese krisistye. Hierdie verhandeling weeg dus die relatiewe belang, nut en gebruik van koerante as historiese bron, spesifiek tydens krisistye, op aan die hand van die dekking van die 1992-referendum. Masters 2022-11-21T09:16:20Z 2023-01-23T06:54:09Z 2023-05-21T03:00:15Z 2022-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126363 af Stellenbosch University x, 175 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Press and politics -- South Africa -- History South African newspapers Elections -- South Africa Political campaigns -- South Africa Democracy -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1989-1994 UCTD Joubert, Jan Abraham Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title | Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title_full | Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title_fullStr | Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title_short | Die rol van koerante in die Suid-Afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| title_sort | die rol van koerante in die suid afrikaanse referendum van 1992 |
| topic | Press and politics -- South Africa -- History South African newspapers Elections -- South Africa Political campaigns -- South Africa Democracy -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1989-1994 UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126363 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joubertjanabraham dierolvankoeranteindiesuidafrikaansereferendumvan1992 |