THEPOLITICALTRANSITION
1988, was the third highest among industrialized nations, surpassed only
by those of Turkey and Israel. 4
Third, despite the government's segregation dogma and its Homelands
fantasy, white and black South Africans were inextricably interdependent.
Africans, no longer self-sufficient peasants, were obliged to seek employ-
ment, and Whites needed African labor. The cumulative economic power
of black people as consumers, workers, and entrepreneurs was becoming
increasingly significant. In 1985, Whites had about 55.5 percent of the
disposable income (income from all sources after taxation), Africans had
31.8 percent, Coloureds
8.8 percent, and Indians 3.9 percent; and the
black share wa.s rising.I By 1990, substantial
numbers of Blacks were
reaching the middle level of employment
in industry, and a few had
reached the managerial
level. Others were prospering
in the informal
economy. Africans dominated the transport services in the townships, for
example. There were about 80,000 unlicensed African-owned taxis, and
45,000 African operators belonged to the South African Bus and Taxi As-
sociation."
Furthermore, by the end of 1989 profound 'changes in the wider world
were contributing to the demise of apartheid. The Soviet Union was be-