Evans and Newnham defines foreign policy as the "... activity whereby state actors act, react and interact."1 Since 1994, various analysts have commented that South Africa lacked a foreign policy; rather, that its foreign relations was characterised by ambiguity and incoherence. Was this really so? Did Pretoria's foreign relations really lack the necessary orientation and strategic purpose to qualify as foreign policy? If this is so, what accounts for South Africa's lack of coherence? On the other hand, if this was not so, how does one account for Pretoria's continued relations with states such as Libya, Cuba, Nigeria and Indonesia, given this country's much vaunted human rights stance? How does one also account for South Africa's rapid about face on the question of the 'Two Chinas' when it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing?

In an effort to come to terms with these questions, the Human Security Project of the Institute for Security Studies hosted a workshop entitled In Search of a South African Foreign Policy. With the exception of the article by Professor David Black and Dr Larry Swatuk, all other articles in this monograph emanate from papers delivered at this workshop.

In the first article, Roland Henwood attempts to demystify South African foreign policy by identifying the underlying principles of this policy. In attempting to reconcile these principles with the reality, he illustrates some of the fundamental problems facing South African foreign policy-makers.

In a critical assessment of South Africa's foreign policy establishment, Greg Mills stresses the need for foreign policy-makers to define and prioritise objectives and to take cognisance of both their own limitations and the nature of the world outside. Obstacles impeding the development of a coherent foreign policy are also identified.

In their penetrating examination of South Africa's relations with the African continent, David Black and Larry Swatuk argue that these relations are characterised both by continuity and change. They explore these relations within three expanding concentric circles: the 'new' South Africa itself, the Southern African region and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. In their analysis, they make two important points. Firstly, the nature of South Africa's engagement with the region will also be dependent on the success Pretoria achieves in addressing the historical injustice and grossly inequitable life chances which are the legacies of the apartheid era. Secondly, our notion of foreign relations needs to be expanded to include non-state actors such as South African corporations.

Western states and the media often portray South Africa as the natural leader of Africa. This leadership is also often expressed by Western academics in middle power terms. In his article, Hussein Solomon argues that, given the ambiguities of middle power leadership both as an academic construct and in practice, and because of the real fears among the country's neighbours, it is imperative that middle power leadership as a foreign policy orientation be eschewed in favour of what could be termed 'co-operative leadership'.

Finally, in her provocative response to the current debate on South African foreign policy, Marie Muller provides critical comment and some insightful suggestions regarding further areas for investigation and research. While her focus is on Pretoria's regional policy, this is contextualised within 'general' South African foreign policy.

While this monograph is concerned with South African foreign policy in general, it unashamedly focuses on Pretoria's relations with Africa, and Southern Africa in particular. The reason for this focus is not hard to find. Marie Muller succinctly notes in her article that, "... relations with one's neighbours are usually most immediate as these will have a direct effect on how a country is otherwise able to function in the international community."

Midrand
May 1997

ENDNOTES

G Evans and J Newnham, The Dictionary of World Politics: A Reference Guide to Concepts, Ideas and Institutions, Harvester-Wheatsheaf, New York, 1992, p. 100.