SOUTH AFRICA
APARTHEID &
CHANGE
GENERAL SUBSAHARAN
CHALLENGES
Tribalism
Lack of infrastructure
Lack of capital
Unstable government
One-product
economies
Illiteracy
Unrealistic
boundaries
Etc.
By
Joseph Naumann
1
SOUTHERN AFRICA
•10 countries:
Northern and
Southern Tiers
•6 landlocked states
•Northern zone
marks limit of Congo
basin
•Plateau country
•Rich in natural
resources
•Agricultural
diversity
2
South Africa
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Physiographic delineation
– the area south of the
Congo Basin
Richest region in natural
resources
Two pivotal river systems
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The Zambezi
The Orange-Vaal
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General Information
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Physiography & Climate
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Plateaus and “mountains”
The Great Escarpment
Does not have the volcanic activity that is present in
East Africa
Cooler climate due to altitude and latitude – fourseason climates found in the southern part
Most severe racial problems developed here
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The Northern Tier problems abound
Portugal’s poor approach to colonialism and toward
eventual independence
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Angola
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Rich in minerals and agricultural potential – Oil-rich Cabinda
Independence brought civil war and a devastated economy
– ½ country has been under rebel rule
Zambia
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Landlocked position adds to the cost of exporting its
minerals – decline in prices has hurt economy
1991 first multi-party democratic election in a long time
brought a victory for democratic forces, but was short-lived
as the country slid back toward dictatorship
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More Northern Tier
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Malawi – Landlocked country
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Almost completely agricultural economy
1970. Dr. Hastings Banda made president for life
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1993 referendum favored a multi-party system
1994 Band ousted & charged with murder of opponents
Moçambique – Took a Marxist route
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Economy collapsed under bad management
Rebel movement was supported by South Africa
Late 1990s some stability achieved
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Government abandoned Marxist principles
6
Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia)
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Landlocked & mineral rich – Core area defined by
the mineral-rich Great Dyke and its environs
Whites originally encouraged to stay as citizens
1980s drought caused subsistence farmers to
desert their land
1998 Mugabe government announced program to
take land from whites and distribute it to African
farmers – Economic decline
problems from political mismanagement and
corruption
7
Namibia
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Former German colony which was made a
Mandate territory to be administered by the
Republic of South Africa
South Africa used it as a colony rather than
preparing it for independence
Achieved independence in 1990
Largely desert habitat
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Botswana & Lesotho –
landlocked
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Botswana
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Tswana dominant Bantu group – Bushmen
relegated to the Kalahari Desert
Economy – more productive in the north where it
receives more precipitaiton
Lesotho – enclave in South Africa
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Small, mountainous country – Very dependent on
South Africa
1998 South African troops entered to quell a
rebellion – the economy was badly damaged
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Swaziland & Madagascar
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Swaziland – Landlocked – surrounded by
Mocambique and South Africa
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Agriculture – subsistence
Mountainous and forested – attracts tourists
King Mswati has ruled since 1986
Madagascar – unusual ecology – lemur home
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Agricultural economy – oil deposits may help
People of African & Indonesian mix – rivalry exists
Destruction of the forest habitats is a problem 10
SOUTH AFRICA
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Historical Geography
Europeans
1600
Who came first is a
moot point!

Bantu
1400
Original
inhabitants,
Bushmen and
Hottentots, were
pushed out and/or
eliminated by
both Bantu and
Europeans who
arrived relatively
recently.
12
Compressed Time Line
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Dutch 1652 Capetown
1713, Khoikhoi
displaced by Boers
1760 Dutch reach
Orange River
1799 Third Kaffir War
1795-1815 British rule
in Capetown begins
Wars with the Bantu
1812, 1818, 1834,
1834 British end
slavery in Capetown
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1836-38 Boer Great
Trek
Boer conflicts with
Bantu continue as
they move north of
Orange & Fish rivers
1860 Indian laborers
1870 Gold Rush
1880-81 British lose
first Boer War
1899-1902 British
win 2nd Boer War
1912 ANC formed
1948 Afrikaner
Government began
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Apartheid: possibly the cruelest
racial discrimination anywhere –
begun after Afrikaner rule began
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Theory of “separate,” & not equal development
Racial classifications system & passes
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European – only ones who could vote
Asian – Gandhi began nonviolent resistance here
Coloured – Cape coloured lost right to vote
Bantu – citizens of Bantustans (poorest land <20%)
90 day detention act – can be extended to 180
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Held without charge – no writ of habeas corpus
No legal representation
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Apartheid
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Anti-communism act – punishment:
imprisonment
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Defined communism as, among other things,
criticism of the government
Inconsistencies in applying the system
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Japanese made honorary Caucasians so they
could stay at hotels reserved for whites
Organs of black persons could be used for
transplants in white people.
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Passbooks
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All aspects of life
were affected by the
passbook
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Where one lived
What kinds of jobs
one could have
Where one could go
With whom one could
associate
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Quality of
Bantu Life
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Bantu protest –
reaction – riot
(above)
Housing in a
Bantustan (left)
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Separate but not equal
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SOUTH AFRICA:
Perforated State
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Nelson Mandela – Man of the
Century Candidate?
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Young lawyer – leader in the ANC
Spent 27 years in prison – contracted illness
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Denied rights
Separated from family
Released from prison & negotiated with Prime
Minister F. W. de Klerk to end Apartheid
Elected first President
Worked to create a homeland for all people
regardless of their race or ethnic group.
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South Africa’s Challenge
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Overcome great economic & educational gap
Make democracy work for all groups (10+ years
since the end of Apartheid it’s still working)
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Achieve majority rule while protecting minority
rights
Curb violence
Develop nationalism in place of tribalism
Attract foreign capital to renew economic
development
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South Africa’s Assets
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Rich in mineral resources
Mid-latitude climates – agricultural possibilities
Highest literacy rate in Africa
Best infrastructure in Africa
Outstanding leaders
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Nelson Mandela (1st & former president)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu – Nobel Peace Prize
Winner
International sanctions have been lifted
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