South Africa: Colonization and Apartheid

Flashcards on South Africa's Colonization and Apartheid

South Africa: Colonization Time-frames

Two distinct periods: Early colonization (600s-1700s) and Late colonization (1880s, "The Scramble")

Arab Colonization

Arab colonization primarily impacted North & East Africa, starting in the 600s.

European Colonization

European colonization focused on coastal areas (Angola, Senegal, Mozambique) starting in the 1500s and South Africa (1652).

Major South African Cities

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, West Rand, Bloemfontein

Dominant Languages in South Africa

Afrikaans, Sesotho, English, Setswana, isiNdebele, siSwati, isiXhosa, Tshivenda, isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa, Xitsonga

Southern Africa Pre-Colonization: Bantu Migration

Bantu migration from Central Africa occurred between 2-4k years ago, first East, then South.

Southern Africa Pre-Colonization: 'First Nations'

Khoi & San

Pre-Apartheid European Colonization: Stage 1

1652-late 1700s: Dutch East India Co, Smallpox killed ~60% of Khoikhoi & San, informal settler annexation, localized slave trade.

Pre-Apartheid European Colonization: Stage 2

Late 1700s-1867: Britain took Cape Town, settlers claimed Khoisan lands, British anti-slave legislation, Dutch/Boer revolt ("The Great Trek"), Discovery of Transvaal, Diamond & gold rushes.

Pre-Apartheid European Colonization: Stage 3

Early 1900s-: Union of South Africa (USA) formed in 1910, became National Party (Apartheid), formal annexation and segregation, property rights for White South Africans.

1913 Natives’ Land Act

Black Africans could not purchase “white lands” in South Africa and were restricted from residing on or visiting “white lands.

1963 Legal creation of “Bantustans”

Legally-designated “mini-countries” for non-Whites, based on NLA borders, land-locked, few resources, not requested by the non-white populations and Not accepted by global community

Apartheid Timeframe

1948-1994

Apartheid Foundations

Racialized residential & sexual segregation and Racialized discrimination in all sectors: education, healthcare, employment, mobility, voting, criminal-legal system, etc

1948

National Party (NP) formally adopts Apartheid.

1949

Mixed Marriages Act

1950

African National Congress (ANC) revolts, implements national civil disobedience campaign (Mandela) and Group Areas Act—urban segregation.

1960

Sharpeville massacre and ANC party banned.

1976

Soweto uprising/massacre. Dramatically unified resistance movement

1980s

Township revolts and State of Emergency declared (civil rights abolished)

1990

Mandela released from prison and ANC unbanned

1994

First multiracial elections and ANC wins national election, Mandela becomes first Black president

1995: Truth & Reconciliation Commission

Full amnesty for anyone confessing their crimes and Dead victim’s families received $4k compensation

GINI Coefficient

This is a measure of income inequality.

Expropriation Law

Allows the government to seize land, without compensation, if: It’s in the public interest, The land is currently unused with no development plans, and Previous attempts to reach agreement have failed