Report

The Bridge and the Laager South Africa’s relations with Africa, with specific reference to Malawi

South Africa’s foreign policy has since 1948 been subordinated to the considerations of the ideology of apartheid and the entrenchment of the white man in South Africa. Under the different rulers in South Africa different policies where upheld. From 1960 decolonization in Africa took place and thus the Organisation of African Unity was born. The main aim of the Union was to isolate South Africa but that was not very successful as Malawi entered into a dialogue with South Africa. Malawi was not the only one to enter into dialogue with South Africa and this caused a division in Africa that could not be explained away as the dependency from States on South Africa. President Banda was the first head of an African state to visit South Africa and this was the start for other dialogues with African countries. Whether dialogue will be successful in changing South Africa is debatable.