ABSTRACT

The Portuguese coup of 25 April 1974 and the subsequent decolonization of Angola and Mozambique resulted in the acceleration of an "independence" process of a very different kind—the granting by South Africa of formal political autonomy to the Transkei, its model Bantustan, on 26 October 1976. Acceptance of independence by the incumbent Transkeian government thus constitutes a denial of a future claim by all those designated as Transkeian citizens to a fair share of South African resources and accumulated wealth when liberation for the black majority within South Africa is ultimately achieved. Independent Transkei's primary economic function remains to serve as a supplier of cheap labor and effectively to subsidize the white economy of South Africa. The economic strategy being pursued in Transkei suffers from all the deficiencies, and its effect will be to augment the territory's dependence on South Africa. The major funnel for investment capital into Transkei is the Transkei.