A Short-History of-South-Africa explained

Racial segregation existed in colonial times
But introduced more formally after the election of the National Party in 1948
Classification of people into 4 racial categories: Black, White, Indian, and Coloured
Residential segregation; mixed marriages prohibited (1949); educational segregation (1953)
In 1970, Blacks denied political representation and deprived of citizenship in South Africa; instead were citizens of their ethnic “homelands”

1. A Short History of South Africa

2. Republic of South Africa
•48 million people: 80%
black African, 9% white,
9% Coloured, 2.5% Asian
(mainly Indian and
Chinese),
•11 official languages
recognized by
Constitution (Top 5:
isiZulu, isiXhosa,
Afrikaans, Sepedi,
English)
•Upper-middle-income
country by GDP; industrial
economy
•A regional powerhouse,
attracting migrants from
across southern Africa

3. Hominid Species in Africa

4. Bantu migration from Central Africa
•Bantu were iron-
working farmers
•Reached South Africa
around 1000 CE.
•Descendents include
the present-day Zulu,
Sotho, Tswana, and
Xhosa

5. Vasco Da Gama’s trip
around the Cape of Good Hope, 1497-1499 CE

6. Discovery of diamonds and gold
•Fueled Anglo-Boer
Wars (late 19
th
cent),
won by the British
•Prompted migration of
young men from across
southern Africa to work
in the mines and urban
areas

7. Apartheid (Afrikaans for separation)
•Racial segregation existed in
colonial times
•But introduced more formally after
the election of the National Party
in 1948
•Classification of people into 4
racial categories: Black, White,
Indian, and Coloured
•Residential segregation; mixed
marriages prohibited (1949);
educational segregation (1953)
•In 1970, Blacks denied political
representation and deprived of
citizenship in South Africa; instead
were citizens of their ethnic
“homelands”
•Pass laws established to regulate
Black migration into areas other
than the homeland; one could only
live there if one had employment
(in mines or commercial
businesses)
Homelands

8. Resistance to Apartheid
•African National Congress (ANC)
played an important role, not
always peaceful (some terrorism
and military efforts launched
from neighboring countries)
•Schoolchildren a major source of
protest
•1976 Soweto riots prompted by
introduction of Afrikaans
language as language of
instruction in schools
•Torture, imprisonment, rigged
trials widely used against
activists; state of emergency
•Serious political violence in the
townships throughout 1980s
(e.g., rent boycotts, militant
youth)
•Violent confrontation; outright
war seemed likely before
apartheid’s end

9. But instead, a peaceful transition….
•Nelson Mandela released
from prison, & state of
emergency lifted
•Negotiations between ANC
and National Party
government 1990-1993;
violence between ANC
and Zulu Inkatha Party in
preparation for democracy
•Elections of 1994: ANC
won 63% of the vote

10. Post-Apartheid
•Rise of a Black middle class tied to politics and big
business
•But high unemployment: 22% (comparison to US at
height of Great Recession: 8%). High poverty rate of
30% in rural areas and townships.
•According to the GINI index (way of comparing inequality
across countries), South Africa is second most unequal
country in the world
•Because a regional powerhouse, many immigrants from
across the region, and they are stigmatized and targets
of violence
•Fears of violent crime

11. Gini Coefficient