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As head of the National Intelligence Service during the apartheid years, Niël Barnard was in the unique position not only to observe South Africa’s historic transition with a great deal of background knowledge, but also to influence events themselves. Coming, as it does, from the front lines, this book, which gives an unmasked view of what happened, is a very welcome addition to the scant literature of its kind.

The author does not hesitate to offer his honest opinion about issues or individuals. Barnard may castigate some negotiators for their errors of judgement, inappropriate strategizing and, at times, lack of commitment, but he does not condemn others indiscriminately. He tempers his outspokenness with insight. At times he is also critical of his own role during the negotiations.

This work reveals the extremely high pressure negotiators had to endure and the turbulent context in which they made crucial decisions. It forces the reader to suspend hasty judgements, leading us, instead, to consider outcomes from a broader view. As an outstanding former academic and, later, intelligence chief in a rapidly changing South Africa for more than a decade, Barnard has developed a honed and balanced judgement. This underpins his well-rounded assessment of complex developments.

This book also contains new insights into the thinking in the ranks of other parties such as the African National Congress (ANC) and Inkatha, and shows what it took in the way of ingenious footwork to keep the multiparty negotiations on track. With the benefit of hindsight, the course of history may appear logical and obvious, but, in the thick of historical events, this is rarely the case. This issue also came to the fore, as Barnard points out, at the controversial Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings.

What happened during the negotiations, how the ANC took power, and the often-unspoken assumptions inherent in this process have cast a long shadow over South Africa’s recent history. In a readable style, the author places the dynamics of past events in the spotlight, affording us a better understanding of the present.

Prof. Albert Grundlingh

Department of History

Stellenbosch University