ANC makes demands changes to facilitate democratic elections

The African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) presents five demands to be met during the year in order to facilitate South Africa's first democratic elections. These are the resumption of multilateral talks in the form of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), ensuring a climate for free political activity in all parts of the country and the establishment of the Transitional Executive Council and its sub-structures. The ANC's NEC also calls for an independent electoral commission and an independent media commission to ensure free and fair elections, elections for a constituent assembly and an interim government of national unity before the end of the year. They also demand the reincorporation of all the homelands, including the Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. At a later news conference, ANC president Nelson Mandela indicates that his organisation will not insist on elections in 1993 if their demands are not met.