Postcolonial Africa and Apartheid in South Africa

Focus on postcolonial Africa and apartheid as a legacy of colonialism in South Africa.
Apartheid officially ended in 1994, but its effects persist today.

Colonialism was largely dismantled across Africa, except for Ethiopia and Liberia, which remained independent during colonial rule.
European powers that colonized Africa included:
- French
- British
- Portuguese
- Belgians

A distinctive political approach aimed at linking newly independent African states.
Emphasizes:
- Self-Reliance: Countries should depend on themselves for development.
- Interdependence: African nations should support each other in their progress.
Kwame Nkrumah’s ideology highlighted that independence (exemplified by Ghana's independence) was meaningless without liberating other African territories.

Julius Nyiriri’s vision sought to liberate African economies from colonial exploitation through local interdependence.
His specific approach: Ujama, focused on community and mutual support.
Nyiriri served as President of Tanzania, which emphasized self-sufficiency.

Countries traversed different paths to independence:
- Ghana, Tanzania, and Kenya: Achieved independence primarily through peaceful negotiations with Great Britain.
- Algeria: Faced a violent struggle for independence from France; regarded as an integral part of France, akin to Alaska or Hawaii's status within the U.S.

Following independence from 1960 onwards, African countries have encountered numerous challenges, including:
- Coup D'état: Sudden and violent overthrows of government; plural is "coups d'état".
- Separatist movements: Groups seeking independence from their countries.
- Ethnic cleansing and genocide: Significant human rights violations rooted in ethnic divisions.
- Debt crises and economic dependency: Many nations are reliant on foreign aid and investments, limiting autonomy.
- Disease epidemics: Public health crises exacerbated by limited healthcare infrastructure.
Noted that these chronic issues have origins in colonial rule and policies of nations from the global North.
Persistence of neocolonialism: Ongoing exploitation of Africa by wealthier nations, particularly former colonial powers, despite the formal end of colonial structures.

Defined as a sudden and violent overthrow of an existing government.
Described as a significant political affliction for newly formed states after independence.
Governments often do not maintain power legally and are removed more commonly through force and military intervention.
This phenomenon results from a variety of reasons, leading to instability fragile governance in postcolonial states that are often vulnerable to military juntas and authoritarian rule.