THE MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATING FORUM 

The new negotiating process comprised  26 parties with significant support and 11 organisations with observer status.  It included

• a Negotiating Forum, with four delegates and two advisers from each party, which would supervise the work of a Negotiating Council; approve or amend the Council’s proposals, and set a date for the first national general election; 
• a Negotiating Council, with two delegates and two advisers from each party, to conduct the negotiations; 
• a ten-member non-partisan Planning Committee to carry out procedural and substantive instructions of the Negotiating Council;  
• a Commission for the Demarcation of new States/Provinces/Regions; 
• the following eight technical committees, comprising non-partisan experts to produce documentation for the Negotiating Council on the following topics: 
  • an Independent Media Commission – to ensure the impartiality of state controlled media during the transition; 
  • an independent Electoral Commission to administer the first national elections; 
  • the repeal of any laws that might impede free and fair elections; 
  • ways of counteracting violence;  
  • additional support for the National Peace Accord; 
  • agreement on the constitutional principles with which the final constitution would have to comply and other constitutional questions; 
  • an interim charter of human rights;  and 
  • the establishment of a Transitional Executive Council – which would be co-responsible with the existing government for a range of governmental actions during the transition. 

The MPNF included the following parties:

• African National Congress;
• Afrikaner-Volksunie
• Bophuthatswana Government:
• Cape Delegation of Traditional Leaders Delegates
• Ciskei Government
• Democratic Party
• Dikwankwetla Party
• Inkatha Freedom Party
• Intando Yesizwe Party
• Inyandza National Movement
• Konserwatiewe Party
• KwaZulu
• Labour Party Delegates
• Natal Indian Congress/Transvaal Indian Congress
• National Party
• National People’s Party
• Orange Free State Delegation of Traditional Leaders
• Pan Africanist Congress
• Solidarity Party
• South African Communist Party
• South African Government
• Transkei Government
• Transvaal Delegation of Traditional Leaders
• United People’s Front
• Venda Government
• Ximoko Progressive Party