Three important events, which made this troubled world a better place in which to live and raise children, took place in the last decade of the twentieth century:

• The reunification of Germany

• The dissolution of the Soviet Union

• The abolition of legally mandated racial segregation in South Africa.

The last of these events is the subject of this paper. The author gives a concise description of the political developments in South Africa and the effect they are having on the computing field. The gigantic task of bringing the hitherto oppressed and voiceless 75 percent of the population into the mainstream and the re-establishment of relations with the rest of the world are outlined.

The paper includes a list of pertinent references and a separate section entitled “Follow-ups and Pointers.” It should be noted that the paper contains an alphabet soup of acronyms, not all of which are spelled out. Anybody interested in South Africa for business or study may be well advised to start with this paper as a guide.