On Nov. 18, 20 smaller political parties joined with South Africa's ruling National Party to approve a new interim constitution.
The new constitution calls for April elections in which all citizens of South Africa will be allowed to vote.
A coalition government, operating under the rules and principles of the new constitution, will hold power for five years. Ten homelands which had been established under apartheid will be abolished, and South Africa will be divided into nine new provinces.
The new constitution includes a bill of rights giving all South Africans freedom of speech and assembly and the right to live anywhere in the country they wish.
African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk, considered architects of the new constitution, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
At year's end, negotiations continued on implementing the constitution after some right-wingers demanding a white homeland and blacks seeing more autonomy threatened to boycott the elections.
