1990 Ciskei coup d'état

The 1990 Ciskei coup d'état was a bloodless military coup in Ciskei, an unrecognised state and a nominally independent South African homeland for the Xhosa people, which took place on 4 March 1990. The coup was led by the then 37-year-old Brigadier Oupa Gqozo, the Chief of Staff Intelligence of the Ciskei Defence Force, against the government of President for Life Lennox Sebe (CNIP), who was on a state visit to Hong Kong at the time.^[1][2][3] The coup was followed by widespread rioting and looting, prompting Gqozo to request that the South African government send SADF troops to help restore order.

1990 Ciskei coup d'état

Map of Ciskei (red) within South Africa.
Date	4 March 1990; 34 years ago (1990-03-04)
Location	Bisho
Type	Military coup
Motive	Regime change
Target	CNIP–led government of Lennox Sebe
Organised by	Oupa Gqozo
Participants	Ciskei Defence Force (faction)
Outcome	Coup succeeds The overthrow of authoritarian government of President for Life Sebe. The establishment of military rule under the Military Committee headed by Brigadier Gqozo.

Topographic map of Ciskei.

Subsequently, Gqozo's military government survived several coup attempts, most notably the February 1991 attempt, led by the Chief of the Ciskei Defence Force, Brigadier Andrew Jamangile.^[4][5][6] Gqozo stayed in power until his resignation in March 1994,^[7] several weeks before the reunification of Ciskei with South Africa after the first post-apartheid general election.^[8]

See also

• Bisho massacre
• 1987 Transkei coup d'état
• 1990 Venda coup d'état
• 1994 Bophuthatswana crisis

References

1. "'HOMELAND' LEADER DEPOSED IN CISKEI". The New York Times. 5 March 1990. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
2. "South Africa Sends Troops to Restore Order in Ciskei : Black homelands: A coup leads to rioting and looting. The new leader asks for help, says Pretoria 'has left them behind.'". The Los Angeles Times. 6 March 1990. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
3. "South Africa Sends Troops Into Homeland After Rioting Follows Coup". AP NEWS. 5 March 1990. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
4. "Coup Attempt Fails in Ciskei". The New York Times. Associated Press. 10 February 1991. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
5. "Four Arrested in Ciskei Coup Try". AP NEWS. 10 February 1991. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
6. "Oupa Gqozo, military leader of the Ciskei, quells a second coup attempt". South African History Online. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
7. "A 2d Homeland Is Taken Over By South Africa". The New York Times. 23 March 1994. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
8. All Bantustans (both nominally independent and self-governing) were dismantled and their territories reincorporated into South Africa with effect from 27 April 1994, in terms of section 1(2) and Schedule 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993, the so-called "Interim Constitution" which abolished apartheid in South Africa. The text of this Interim Constitution, which came into force on 27 April 1994, coinciding with the beginning of the first democratic elections, is available online at Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 as of 27 April 1994.