Turnhalle Constitutional Conference

The gym conference refers to the negotiation of political groupings in South Africa between September 1975 and October 1977 with the goal of a draft constitution.

Prehistory

After the International Court of Justice in 1971 condemned the continued South African presence in South-West Africa as illegitimate and 1973, the South West Africa People's Organization ( SWAPO ) was recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations as "authentic representation of the Namibian people," the Mandatory Power South Africa increasingly began to relent. South Africa told increasingly that the citizens of South West Africa should make independent decisions about their future.

In this context, the initiative was taken, a conference of all ethnic groups of South West Africa, but excluding the mandatory power to hold.

Conference

The conference started on September 1, 1975, took place in the eponymous gym in Windhoek instead. Belonged to the conference, under the direction of Dirk Mudge, representatives of all 12 ethnic groups. However, political parties were not allowed to participate in the meeting.

In August 1976, the gymnasium conference unanimously decided the independence of South West Africa December 31, 1978. Preparation for the independence of a transitional government should be used, consisting of a Parliament and a Council of Ministers. The individual ethnic groups should each send a representative to the government. In addition, it was decided to draw up a constitution for the transitional government, which should also serve as the basis of the final Constitution.

The United Nations rejected the proposals of the gym conference, after which the South African Prime Minister Vorster emphasized to carry out the decisions of the Conference even against the will of the United Nations.

On 18 March 1977, the General Assembly of the gym Conference adopted the provisional constitution unanimously.

On October 6, 1977, the gymnasium conference was officially dissolved. The merger of a number of different parties, there came a month later, establishing the Democratic gym Alliance ( DTA). This is done by Ovaherero leader Clemence Kapuuo as the first president and Dirk Mudge as chairman.

In September 1978, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 435, his troops were invited in the South to withdraw from South Africa and have the elections are held free and fair under the auspices of the United Nations.

South Africa opposed this resolution and led in December 1978 internal elections in South Africa. The DTA won the elections with more than 82 %. However, SWAPO, Namibia National Front and SWAPO Democrats took no part in the elections.