# History Grade 12 P2 NSC November 2012 Question Paper (Eng)

> Grade 12 History Paper 2 question paper from the NSC November Exam 2012 (English), 10 pages. Read online or download the free PDF.

- Page: https://www.hlayiso.com/library/history-p2-nov-2012-eng/b233c1d6-1b0d-4f6b-a4b9-b4abd0ccd265
- Updated: 2026-09-27
- Subject: History
- Grade: Grade 12
- Document type: Question paper
- Year: 2012
- Exam period: NSC November Exam
- Paper: 2
- Curriculum: CAPS
- Pages: 10

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History · Grade 12 · NSC November Exam · 2012. Question paper, 10 pages. Read online or download the PDF.

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                                 GRAAD 12

                                NATIONAL
                           SENIOR CERTIFICATE

                                 GRADE 12

                                 HISTORY P2

                               NOVEMBER 2012

MARKS: 150

TIME: 3 hours

      This question paper consists of 10 pages and an addendum of 14 pages.

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History/P2                                   2                            DBE/November 2012
                                            NSC

INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

1.           This question paper consists of FOUR questions based on the prescribed
             content as contained in the guideline document:

             QUESTION 1:       WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE
                               USSR IN 1989?
                               • On ending apartheid in South Africa

             QUESTION 2:       WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE
                               USSR IN 1989 ON AFRICA?
                               • Case Study: Angola

             QUESTION 3:       HOW DID SOUTH AFRICA EMERGE AS A DEMOCRACY
                               FROM THE CRISES OF THE 1990s?

             QUESTION 4:       DEALING WITH THE PAST AND FACING THE FUTURE:
                               THE WORK OF THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
                               COMMISSION

2.           Each question counts 75 marks, of which 45 marks are allocated to the
             source-based question and 30 marks to the extended writing question.

3.           Candidates are required to answer any TWO questions.

4.           When answering questions, candidates should apply their knowledge, skills
             and insight.

5.           A mere rewriting of the sources as answers will disadvantage candidates.

6.           Questions should be answered by referring to the ADDENDUM.

7.           Write neatly and legibly.

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History/P2                                    3                               DBE/November 2012
                                             NSC

QUESTION 1:          HOW DID THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION CONTRIBUTE
                     TO THE ENDING OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA IN 1989?

Study Sources 1A, 1B and 1C and answer the questions that follow.

1.1          Refer to Source 1A.

             1.1.1     Why did the USSR no longer support the ANC's armed struggle?
                                                                             (1 x 2)                 (2)

             1.1.2     Using the information from the source and your knowledge, define
                       the concept multiparty democracy.                        (1 x 2)              (2)

             1.1.3     Explain the factors that motivated the ANC to enter into
                       negotiations with the National Party.            (2 x 2)                      (4)

             1.1.4     Why did the UDF convey the following message to township
                       residents: 'negotiations were an acceptable alternative to
                       insurrection'?                                      (2 x 2)                   (4)

1.2          Study Source 1B.

             1.2.1     Why, according       to   the   source,   was    Mandela     released?
                       (Extract 1)                                                      (2 x 1)      (2)

             1.2.2     Explain to what extent you would agree with the statement:
                       'The ANC was previously an instrument of the expansionism of
                       Russia in Southern Africa.' (Extract 1)               (2 x 2)                 (4)

             1.2.3     Comment on whether the unbanning of the ANC normalised the
                       political situation in South Africa. (Extract 1)    (2 x 2)                   (4)

             1.2.4     How did the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe force the
                       South African government to begin a process of negotiations with
                       the ANC? (Extract 2)                                     (1 x 3)              (3)

1.3          Use Source 1C.

             1.3.1     How do you think the following would have reacted to De Klerk's
                       parliamentary address: (Written source)

                       (a)    Conservative white South Africans
                       (b)    The majority of black South Africans                     (2 x 2)       (4)

             1.3.2     Using information from the visual source and your own knowledge,
                       comment on the significance of the newspaper headline:

                       ANC unbanned
                       'The season of violence is over.
                       The time for reconstruction and reconciliation has arrived ...' (2 x 2)       (4)
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History/P2                                   4                             DBE/November 2012
                                            NSC

1.4          Refer to Sources 1A, 1B and 1C. Explain which ONE of the three sources you
             would consider to be most useful to a historian researching the period of the
             collapse of the USSR and its impact on South Africa.                  (2 x 2)        (4)

1.5          Using information from ALL the sources and your own knowledge, write a
             paragraph of about EIGHT lines (about 80 words) explaining the
             consequences of the unbanning of the ANC on South African politics.                  (8)

1.6          EXTENDED WRITING (Your response should be about TWO pages long.)

             Answer ONE of        the   following   questions:   QUESTION      1.6.1    OR
             QUESTION 1.6.2.

             1.6.1     Explain how the collapse of the Soviet Union contributed to the
                       ending of apartheid in South Africa in 1989.                               (30)

                                                       OR

             1.6.2     It was the fall of the Berlin Wall coupled with the statesmanship of
                       FW de Klerk that paved the way for political change in South
                       Africa.

                       Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer by
                       using the information from ALL the sources and your own
                       knowledge.                                                                 (30)
                                                                                                  [75]

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History/P2                                    5                             DBE/November 2012
                                             NSC

QUESTION 2:          HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS ANGOLA IN RE-IMAGINING ITSELF
                     AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM IN 1989?

Study Sources 2A, 2B and 2C and answer the questions that follow.

2.1          Refer to Source 2A.

             2.1.1     Name the THREE countries involved in the Angolan civil war
                       between 1987 and 1988.                             (3 x 1)                  (3)

             2.1.2     What factors motivated FAPLA's allies to leave Angola in 1988?
                                                                                   (2 x 2)         (4)

             2.1.3     Explain the reference to the words 'Escalation or negotiation' in the
                       context of the conflict in Angola.                           (2 x 2)        (4)

             2.1.4     Why did South Africa become involved in the conflict in Angola?
                                                                                   (1 x 2)         (2)

             2.1.5     Using the information from the source and your own knowledge
                       define the concept glasnost.                          (1 x 2)               (2)

2.2          Read Source 2B.
             2.2.1     What prevented the leaders of the MPLA and UNITA from reaching
                       consensus?                                              (1 x 2)             (2)

             2.2.2     Explain in what ways the 1991 Bicesse Peace Agreement was
                       significant for Angola.                            (2 x 2)                  (4)

             2.2.3     Comment on whether President Dos Santos was justified in
                       resuming the civil war in Angola.                 (2 x 2)                   (4)

2.3          Consult Source 2C.

             2.3.1     Explain the message of the photograph in relation to the civil war in
                       Angola.                                                        2 x 2)       (4)

             2.3.2     Comment on the limitations of this source to a historian
                       researching the conflict in Angola in the 1990s. (2 x 2)                    (4)

2.4          Compare Source 2B and Source 2C. Explain how these sources support each
             other regarding UNITA's role in the Angolan conflict.           (2 x 2)               (4)

2.5          Using ALL the sources and your own knowledge, write a paragraph of about
             EIGHT lines (80 words) explaining how Cuba became involved in the conflict
             in Angola.                                                                            (8)

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History/P2                                  6                           DBE/November 2012
                                           NSC

2.6          EXTENDED WRITING (Your response should be about TWO pages long.)

             Answer ONE of      the   following   questions:   QUESTION     2.6.1    OR
             QUESTION 2.6.2.

             2.6.1    Discuss to what extent Angola was able to re-imagine itself after
                      the collapse of communism in 1989.                                       (30)

                                             OR

             2.6.2    The end of the Cold War brought about a new era in the history of
                      Angola.

                      Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your answer by
                      using ALL the sources and your own knowledge.                            (30)
                                                                                               [75]

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History/P2                                     7                             DBE/November 2012
                                              NSC

QUESTION 3:          WHAT WERE THE VARIOUS OBSTACLES THAT SOUTH AFRICA
                     FACED ON THE ROAD TO DEMOCRACY?

Use Sources 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D and answer the questions that follow.

3.1          Refer to Source 3A.

             3.1.1     Why, according to the source, is 2 February 1990 regarded as a
                       significant date in South Africa's history?             (2 x 1)              (2)

             3.1.2     Explain whether you would agree with FW de Klerk's statement
                       'that he would have been a fool not to take advantage of the gap
                       that the fall of communism in Eastern Europe had provided'. (2 x 2)          (4)

3.2          Study Source 3B.

             3.2.1     What do you think Treurnicht meant when he declared that De
                       Klerk had 'awakened the tiger in the Afrikaner'?     (1 x 2)                 (2)

             3.2.2     Explain whether Treurnicht was justified in his comments against
                       De Klerk.                                                 (2 x 2)            (4)

             3.2.3     Give TWO reasons from the source that suggest that Treurnicht
                       was opposed to De Klerk's vision for a new South Africa. (2 x 1)             (2)

3.3          Use Source 3C.

             3.3.1     Explain the messages of the cartoon.                           (2 x 2)       (4)

             3.3.2     Comment on whether the cartoonist gives an accurate portrayal of
                       events. Use the visual clues in the cartoon to support your answer.
                                                                                     (2 x 2)        (4)

3.4          Compare Sources 3B and 3C. Explain to what extent these sources are
             similar regarding the Conservative Party's reaction to the political changes in
             South Africa.                                                            (2 x 2)       (4)

3.5          Consult Source 3D.

             3.5.1     According to Extract 1, why did the AWB invade the World Trade
                       Centre?                                                 (1 x 1)              (1)

             3.5.2     Explain whether you agree with the manner in which the policemen
                       dealt with the AWB agitators. (Extract 1)                  (2 x 2)           (4)

             3.5.3     What impact did the storming of the World Trade Centre have on
                       the process of negotiations? (Extract 2)                (1 x 2)              (2)

             3.5.4     Comment on the significance of the 'sunset clause' as proposed by
                       Joe Slovo. (Extract 2)                                     (2 x 2)           (4)

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History/P2                                    8                            DBE/November 2012
                                             NSC

3.6          Using ALL the sources and your own knowledge, write a paragraph of about
             EIGHT lines (about 80 words) to explain how the right-wing groups attempted
             to disrupt the process of negotiations in South Africa during the early 1990s.       (8)

3.7          EXTENDED WRITING (Your response should be about TWO pages long.)

             Answer ONE of         the   following   questions:   QUESTION     3.7.1    OR
             QUESTION 3.7.2.

             3.7.1     Explain the various obstacles that confronted South Africa's major
                       role-players on the road to democracy from 1990 to 1994.                   (30)

                                               OR

             3.7.2     FW de Klerk's landmark speech on 2 February 1990 effectively
                       brought an end to white minority rule in South Africa.

                       Do you agree with this statement? Substantiate your argument by
                       using the information from ALL the sources and your own
                       knowledge.                                                                 (30)
                                                                                                  [75]

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History/P2                                    9                             DBE/November 2012
                                             NSC

QUESTION 4:          HOW DID THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
                     (TRC) DEAL WITH SOUTH AFRICA'S PAST?

Use Sources 4A, 4B and 4C and answer the questions that follow.

4.1          Refer to Source 4A.

             4.1.1     According to Desmond Tutu, what were the aims of the TRC?
                       (Written source)                                    (2 x 1)                  (2)

             4.1.2     Explain the term reconciliation in your own words. (Written source)
                                                                                     (1 x 2)        (2)

             4.1.3     How did Tutu ensure that both victims and perpetrators attended
                       the TRC hearings?                                        (1 x 2)             (2)

             4.1.4     What message does the cartoonist convey about the TRC?
                       (Visual source)                                        (1 x 3)               (3)

             4.1.5     Explain what prompted Dullah Omar to make the following
                       statement: 'If we don't find out what's in there, it will keep on
                       haunting us forever!' (Visual source)                      (2 x 2)           (4)

             4.1.6     Compare the visual and written sources. Explain how these
                       sources support each other regarding the reasons for the formation
                       of the TRC.                                                 (2 x 2)          (4)

4.2          Use Source 4B.

             4.2.1     Why, do you think, Mrs Calata decided to give her testimony at the
                       TRC?                                                       (1 x 2)           (2)

             4.2.2     What motivated Mr Smith to request for an adjournment of the
                       hearing?                                              (1 x 2)                (2)

             4.2.3     Explain why you would regard this source as valuable to a historian
                       studying the work of the TRC.                               (2 x 2)          (4)

4.3      Read Source 4C.

         4.3.1        Using the information from the source and your own knowledge,
                      comment on whether you would agree with FW de Klerk's
                      statement that 'numerous atrocities of the past have not been
                      properly investigated'.                                 (2 x 2)              (4)

         4.3.2        How do the views of FW de Klerk and Cyril Ramaphosa differ
                      regarding the work of the TRC? Make specific reference to the
                      word 'witch hunt' in your response.                    (2 x 2)               (4)

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History/P2                                   10                              DBE/November 2012
                                            NSC

4.4          Refer to Sources 4A, 4B and 4C. Select and explain which ONE of these
             sources you would regard as most useful to a historian studying the work of
             the TRC.                                                            (2 x 2)   (4)

4.5          Using ALL the sources and your own knowledge, write a paragraph of about
             EIGHT lines (about 80 words) assessing the work of the TRC.                   (8)

4.6          EXTENDED WRITING (Your response should be about TWO pages long.)

             Answer ONE of        the   following   questions:   QUESTION     4.6.1   OR
             QUESTION 4.6.2.

             4.6.1     Discuss how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission attempted
                       to heal South Africa from its divided past. Use relevant examples
                       from the TRC hearings to support your answer.                       (30)

                                                       OR

             4.6.2     In an interview with Tim Modise, Desmond Tutu said that 'we did
                       get a fair amount of the truth'.

                       Using the information from ALL the sources and your own
                       knowledge write an essay assessing the accuracy of this
                       statement.                                                          (30)
                                                                                           [75]

                                                                                TOTAL:      150

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