I'd like to get Marius or our other South African residents to chime in. I don't know who is old enough to remeber RSA in the 1980's, but it was an interesting time to visit.
The world community was hammering the country with sanctions, the economy was slowed to a crawl, even musicians were boycotting South Africa. Bono and Springstein made aparthied their cause and gave other artists that went to RSA crap for going.
Rod Stewart was one that defied them and went, and I've been a bigger fan ever since.
The White population was concerned that a war with the ANC was brewing and it was going to Uhuru all over again. Every able bodied white man has his issued R3 or R4 locked up in house with a kit bag ready to go if called.
People were ready for change but didn't want their way of life wiped out. I'm not sure if there was ever going to be a better or easier answer than what De Klerk and the National Party pushed. It certainly was and is a complex issue.
