NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
Modern Studies
International Issues: South Africa
[HIGHER]
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Acknowledgement
Learning and Teaching Scotland gratefully acknowledge this contribution to the National
Qualifications support programme for Modern Studies.
The publishers gratefully acknowledge permission from the following sources to reproduce
copyright material: © Guardian Newspapers Ltd 1999, Separate Lives by Andrew Malone;
adapted extracts from ‘Learning the hard way in Transkei’, ‘Ten years after’, ‘Patients to get
Aids drug’, ‘Willing buyer, willing seller’, ‘South Africa patient for a change’, ‘ANC heartland
stays local’ all © BBC News website; extract from www.southafrica.info © International
Marketing Council of South Africa.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2006
This resource may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes by educational
establishments in Scotland provided that no profit accrues at any stage.
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Contents
Section 1: A profile of South Africa
4
Section 2: The Apartheid years: 1948–91
27
Section 3: Creating the rainbow nation
39
Section 4: Social and economic issues
56
Section 5: Political issues under Mbeki
102
Glossary
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A PROFILE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Section 1: A profile of South Africa
What you will learn about:
• South Africa’s history, economy and its people
• South Africa’s population groups and their growth .
Introduction
South Africa is the fourth largest country in the continent of Africa. With a
population of more than 44 million, it is one of the richest countries in Africa
(see Table 1.1). It is also a nation reborn, for in 1994 South Africa elected its
first democratic government after the end of White rule under a system
known as Apartheid. Nelson Mandela, the leader of the African National
Congress (ANC), became the first democratically elected president for over
40 years. Before Mandela, the Whites had used Apartheid to deny the non Whites political, social and economic rights; this has left a legacy of vast
inequalities between the races, which will be discussed in Section 4.
Table 1.1: Economic indicators
Country
Angola
Democratic
Republic of Congo
Malawi
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) 2003
estimate
(billions of US $)
$10.0
$7.0
$1.5
$2.9
$156.9
$8.9
$3.1
$9.4
Per capita GDP
2002 estimate
$650
13.9
$90
$160
$1840
$2520
$280
$330
$570
53.6
10.5
1.8
45.7
36.2
9.8
11.4
Source: World Bank 2004
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Population 2004
estimate
(millions)
A PROFILE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Map 1.1: Southern Africa
MALAWI
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A brief history
The early history of South Africa (see time chart below) created a country
made up of four racial groups and numerous tribal origins (see Table 1.2 and
Figure 1.1). Africans make up 79 per cent of the population and this figure
will continue to increase given the higher birth rate among Blacks . Whites
are the next largest group numbering about 4 million followed by Coloureds
and Asians.
Time chart
1652
1652–1806
1806
1833
1836–1846
1867–1886
1899–1902
1910
1913 and 1936
1914
1918
1948
6
Dutch East India Company sets up a trading post at the
Cape.
Expansion of Cape Colony. Original inhabitants the San
and the Khoikhoi – often referred to as Bushmen and
Hottentots – lose their land and freedom.
Britain occupies the Cape Colony and comes into conflict
with the Boers (Afrikaners) who are the descendants of
the original Dutch settlers.
Britain abolishes slavery throughout the Empire.
The Boers, who believe that Blacks should be slaves, set
out on a ‘Great Trek’ to escape British rule and to set up
their own Republic of Transvaal and the Orange Free
State.
Diamonds, and later gold, are discovered in the Boer
Republic.
War between Britain and the Boer Republic. Defeat for
the Boers with Britain setting up the first concentration
camps.
Four colonies unite to form the Union of South Africa.
Native Land Acts restrict rights of Blacks to own land
and force many into native reserves. Only 13 per cent of
the land is reserved for Africans.
National Party founded by the Afrikaners (Boers).
Afrikaners set up a secret society, the Broederbond. Its
ultimate aim is to end English-speaking White control in
South Africa.
National Party wins the General Election. Dr F Malan
becomes Prime Minister and introduces the policy of
Apartheid, an Afrikaans word, meaning ‘separate
development’.
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Table 1.2: Racial groups in South Africa
Africans/Blacks
Xhosa
Zulu
Ndebele
Sotho/Tswana
Venda
Shangaan/Tsonga
Swazi
Whites
English speaking
Afrikaans speaking
Coloured
Cape coloureds
Malay coloureds
Asians/Indians
Figure 1.1: Racial group populations in South Africa
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Table 1.3: Racial group populations in South Africa
Black Africans
Whites
Coloureds
Asians
Total
1996
Number (million)
31.3
4.7
3.3
1.2
40.5
%
76.8
11.4
9.0
2.8
100.0
2001
Number (million)
35.4
4.3
3.9
1.2
44.8
%
79.0
9.5
9.0
2.5
100.0
Source: 2001 Census, Stats SA
Population groups and growth
The population of South Africa is growing, especially among the Black
African community. In contrast, the White population is decreasing both in
numbers and percentage. It is estimated that almost 1 million white people
left South Africa in the years 1995–2005. For the first time ever, the
Coloured population will soon outnumber Whites if this trend continues. The
recent census published in 2003 shows that the population grew by 10% in
only five years.
Table 1.4: Population by province 1996 and 2001
Eastern Cape
Northern Cape
Western Cape
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
North West
South Africa
1996
6,302,525
840,321
3,956,875
2,633,504
7,348,423
8,417,021
4,929,368
2,800,711
3,354,825
40,583,573
2001
6,436,763
822,727
4,524,335
2,706,775
8,837,178
9,426,017
5,273,642
3,122,990
3,669349
44,819,778
Growth %
2.1
–2.1
14.3
2.1
20.3
12.0
7.0
11.5
9.4
10.4
Source: 2001 Census, Stats SA
Black Africans constitute the vast majority of the population in all provinces
except two, namely the Western Cape and Northern Cape, where the Coloured
population is in the majority (see Table 1.5).
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Table 1.5: Population by province and population group
Eastern
Cape
Black
African
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZuluNatal
Limpopo
Mpuma
langa
Northern
Cape
North
West
Western
Cape
South
Africa
5,635,079
2,381,073
6,522,792
8,002,407
5,128,616
2,886,345
293,976
3,358,450
1,207,429
35,416,166
Coloured
478,807
83,193
337,974
141,887
10,163
22,158
424,389
56,959
2,438,976
3,994,505
Indian or
Asian
3,719
218,015
798,275
8,587
11,244
2,320
9,906
45,030
1,115,467
18,372
304,506
238,791
1,758,398
483,448
126,276
203,244
102,042
244,035
832,901
4,293,640
6,436,763
2,706,775
8,837,178
9,426,017
5,273,642
3,122,990
822,727
3,669,349
4,524,335
44,819,778
White
Total
Source: 2001 Census, Stats SA
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Table 1.6: Distribution of the land area of South Africa by provinces
Province
KwaZulu-Natal
North West
Limpopo
Gauteng
Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Western Cape
Free State
Mpumalanga
% of land area
10.6
9.5
10.2
1.4
29.7
13.9
10.6
10.6
6.5
While Gauteng is the second largest in population, it is the smallest province
in size. In contrast, Northern Cape is the largest province in size but has the
smallest population.
Figure 1.2: Major languages of South Africa
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The rainbow people
Nelson Mandela has referred to South Africa as ‘a rainbow country which, in
spite of its diversity, has become a symbol of unity and goodwill’. This
diversity is reflected in the recognition of 11 official languages (Figure 1.2).
Below is a brief comment on the ‘Rainbow peoples’.
The Africans
The Xhosa
The tribal area of the Xhosa falls generally within Eastern Cape Province. It
includes the former homelands of the Transkei and Ciskei.
The Zulu
The tribal area of the Zulu is in KwaZulu-Natal Province and they have a
proud military history. The Zulu form the largest tribal group in South Africa
with numbers totalling about 8 million.
The Ndebele
The tribal area of the Ndebele is in Mpumalanga. The Ndebele are renowned
for brightly-painted houses with geometric designs.
The Sotho/Tswana
The South Sotho number around 300,000 and live mainly on the borders of
Lesotho. Their traditional dress is colourful blankets worn as clothing with
headwear of conical hats. The North Sotho number about 2.7 million and liv e
mainly in the former homeland called Lebowa. The Tswana live in the
former homeland called Bophuthatswana (North West Province).
The Venda
The Venda, numbering 600,000, are to be found in the Limpopo and are
related to the Shona of Zimbabwe.
The Shangaan/Tsonga
The 750,000 Shangaan live on the border of Kruger National Park
(Mpumalanga) alongside the Tsonga. Large thatched conical roofs on their
houses are common, while dresses often consist of long colourful material
knotted on one shoulder.
The Swazi
The Swazi come from areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga on the
borders of Swaziland. Swazi women are famous for their beehive hairstyle
with a cord of white string at the hairline.
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The Whites (immigrants from overseas)
The Afrikaners
After many generations, the Dutch, German and French immigrants to the
Cape regarded themselves as Afrikaners, with their own Afrikaans language
(a form of Dutch) and a strong attachment to the land.
The British
The British took over the Cape at the beginning of the 19th century and South
Africa became a British colony.
Coloureds
Over the decades the Black slaves and Europeans interbred and their
offspring became known as Coloureds. Later, the Cape Malays came from
Asia and, as the name suggests, they live in Cape Town and practise the
Islamic faith.
Asians/Indians
From 1860 to 1911 large numbers of Indians were brought by the British to
work in the sugar cane plantations. Today they number almos t 1 million.
Land and regional features
South Africa is five times the size of the United Kingdom but has a smaller
population. The wide expanses of oceans (Atlantic and Indian) on three sides
of South Africa have a moderating influence on its climate . Its rainfall is
well below the world average and the country suffers from periods of
prolonged drought which often end in severe floods.
The country is divided into nine provinces, each with its own legislative
(Parliament) and executive (Premier and Ministers) structure. Below is a
brief comment on each of the nine regions.
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Map 1.2: South Africa’s provinces
Western Cape
This region has a Mediterranean climate and it was in Cape Town that the
first European settlers arrived. It is today a popular resort for tourists with its
beautiful scenery and wonderful beaches.
During the Apartheid era, the Cape area was designated a coloured zone and,
as such, the Coloureds are concentrated in this Province.
The Western Cape is not rich in minerals but is the ‘food basket’ of South
Africa with a harvest of top-grade fruits, vegetables and meats. Its capital,
Cape Town, hosts the headquarters of numerous South African and multi national businesses. The Western Cape has the lowest unemployment rate in
South Africa and the highest rate of literacy with 95 per cent of its population
being urbanised.
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is the second largest of the nine provinces and includes the
two former independent homelands, Transkei and Ciskei . It is the birthplace
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of the black resistance leader, Steve Biko, who was murdered by the police in
1977.
The Eastern Cape is not rich in minerals but includes rich agricultural and
forestry land. The urban areas of Port Elizabeth and East London have a
strong manufacturing base. Unemployment is high and the literacy rate is
below the national average.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided
for in the constitution. This reflects the importance of the Zulu heritag e, and
the InKatha Freedom Party (IFP), a Zulu organisation, shares power at the
provincial level with the ANC.
KwaZulu-Natal has experienced rapid industrialisation in recent times , with
Durban becoming one of the fastest growing urban areas in the wor ld. It is
the second most densely populated province in South Africa and is
experiencing a population explosion, with 39 per cent of its citizens being
younger than 15 years of age. It is also experiencing high unemployment and
has a large pool of unskilled Black workers.
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is extremely rich in mineral wealth with Kimberley, its
capital, being also the diamond capital of the world. Other major minerals
are copper, manganese and marble.
The Northern Cape is sparsely populated and, although it covers the largest
area of South Africa, it has the smallest population. It is a semi -arid region,
with low summer rainfall and high summer temperatures. In contrast, its
winters are characterised by cold and frost. The last remaini ng Bushmen
(San) live in the Kalahari area of the Northern Cape. It has numerous
national parks and its unique ecosystem makes it a popular area for tourists
and conservationists.
Free State
The Free State province lies in the heart of South Africa and is referred to as
the ‘granary of the country’ as it contains 31 per cent of the potentially arable
land of South Africa. Its capital, Bloemfontein, with a population of almost
400,000, is one of the ten biggest cities in the country.
Employment in the agriculture sector has been affected by drought in recent
years. Maize is the main product in the north of the state, while the southern
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arid region is sheep country. The mainstay of its economy is mining in gold
and diamonds.
North-West
North-West Province is one of the important ‘food baskets’ of South Africa,
with its summer rainfall and violent thunderstorms. Maize, sunflowers and
groundnuts are the biggest crops, with the area around Marico being cattle
country.
Mining is the major feature of the economy, with gold, diamonds, platinum
and marble being the main products. But with the decline in the mining
industries, unemployment is very high and this contributes to the poverty
experienced by many of the area’s citizens. Attempts are being made to
develop the tourist industry through the expansion of national parks.
Gauteng
Gauteng is the industrial heartland of South Africa where about 40 per cent of
the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is generated. Its name was
changed in 1995 to the African word Gauteng (meaning place of gold). Its
capital is Johannesburg, the gold capital of the world.
In area, Gauteng is the smallest province in South Africa but it is the most
densely populated. The region is highly urbanised and industrialised. Its
sprawling townships, such as Soweto, are struggling to overcome the legacy
of poor housing and high unemployment. According to the Gauteng
Economic Policy Document, almost 20 per cent of the people live in informal
settlements (shanty towns).
Its other major city, Pretoria, is the administrative capital of the country and
shares this role with Cape Town which hosts the National Parliament. There
is strong support for the Parliament to move from Cape Town to Pretoria.
Mpumalanga
Originally Mpumalanga was to be named Eastern Transvaal, but it was
renamed Mpumalanga meaning ‘place where the sun rises’. The province
attracts migrant labour from neighbouring states, especially refugees from
Mozambique.
Mpumalanga is a summer rainfall region providing sub-tropical fruit. Its tree
plantations supply half of the country’s total timber needs. The region is rich
in gold reserves and the country’s three biggest power stations are based in
the province.
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It has a high population growth rate and has the seco nd lowest literacy rate in
the country. Unemployment is high and poverty is widespread.
Limpopo
Limpopo is the gateway to the rest of Africa, sharing borders with Botswana,
Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It contains the three former homelands of
Venda, Gazankulu and Lebowa. It is a strong agricultural area, producing
sunflowers, cotton, maize and tropical fruits (such as bananas and pineapples)
as well as having coffee and tea plantations. It is also cattle country.
The region is also rich in minerals including coal, copper, iron ore and
platinum. Unemployment is high with many inhabitants working as migrant
workers in Gauteng. Poverty is widespread and the per capita income is, by
far, the lowest in the country.
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Economy
South Africa has the strongest and most developed economy in the continent
of Africa. It contributes a staggering 40 per cent of the gross national
product (GNP) of sub-Saharan Africa. Its strength is based on its mining,
manufacturing and large-scale commercial agriculture. While South Africa is
among the developing countries of the world (see Table 1 .1) it has features of
a ‘first-world’ nation. If the White 12 per cent of the population were a
separate country its standard of living would rank 24th in the world, only a
little behind Spain. Black South Africa, by contrast, would rank 123rd, just
above the Congo.
Table 1.7: South Africa’s mineral production
Commodity
%
World Bank
placing
Alumino-silicates
34.2
1
Chrome ore
36.0
1
Diamonds
11.4
4
Ferrochromium
34.6
1
Gold
23.0
1
Platinum
48.0
1
Vanadium
51.1
1
Mining
South Africa is one of the leading producers of precious metals and minerals
and this has contributed to its industrial wealth (see Table 1.7). However, the
decline in world prices has led to major unemployment, especially in the
gold-mining industry. Since the mid-1980s over 180,000 jobs – a third of
South Africa’s workforce – have disappeared.
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Case study – Johannesburg
Jo’burg and the 2010 Soccer World Cup
Johannesburg (affectionately known as Jo’burg) rep resents the new South
Africa. It is the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa and it will host the 2010
Football World Cup. Jo’burg is the capital of Gauteng Province and includes
Soweto, the most famous of South Africa’s former townships.
Map 1.3: Gauteng Province and Johannesburg
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Soweto celebrates 100 years of existence today
It was on 12 October 1904 that Klipspruit – some 25 kilometres south of the
town centre – was formally set up as a labour reserve to keep black workers
(who worked mostly in the burgeoning mining industry) away from white
Johannesburg.
Since the inception of its first township, Soweto has experienced phenomenal
growth, mostly in ways that apartheid planners never anticipated, b ut it
remains chiefly a working-class neighbourhood.
Over the past 100 years, Soweto has seen generations of migrants to the city
lose their tribal innocence as they were swallowed up by its cosmopolitan
appeal, for better or for worse. It has grown to become an international
trademark of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.
Despite its rich history, its reputation as a hotbed of the struggle against
apartheid, and its status as the most cosmopolitan township in the country,
Soweto has remained economically underdeveloped – but that looks set to
change.
Although it is home to just under 40 per cent of Johannesburg’s population,
Soweto’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the city stands at a
negligible four per cent, says Li Pernegger, programme manager of the area
regeneration in the City’s Economic Development Unit.
Soweto is the most populous black urban residential area in the country, with
Census 2001 putting its population at 896,995. Thanks to its proximity to
Johannesburg, the economic hub of the country, it is also the most
metropolitan township in the country – setting trends in politics, fashion,
music, dance and language.
Source: Adapted from Joburg website October 2004, written by Thomas Thale
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The powerful Apartheid Museum
After a few hours at the Apartheid Museum you wil l feel that you were there – in
the townships in the 1970s and 80s, dodging police bullets or teargas canisters, or
marching and toy-toying 1 with thousands of school children, or carrying the body of
a comrade into a nearby house.
This extraordinarily powerful museum has already become the city’s leading tourist
attraction, an obligatory stop for visitors and residents alike. The Museum, with its
large blown-up photographs, metal cages and numerous monitors recording
continuous replays of apartheid scenes set in a double volume ceiling, concrete and
red-brick walls and grey concrete floor, is next to the Gold Reef City Casino, five
kilometres south of the city centre.
The Museum’s director, Christopher Till, says: ‘It is appropriate that the first
Apartheid Museum in South Africa should open in Johannesburg, where at the turn
of the century there was a convergence of people for a range of different reasons ’.
‘Black people were displaced from the land through colonial wars and the
imposition of poll taxes, and white farmers were displaced through the Anglo –Boer
War,’ says Till.
Entrance tickets
Tickets for the Museum are plastic credit-card size cards indicating either ‘Nonwhite’ or ‘White’ and with one in your hand, you know you have begun a harrowing
journey. As you swing through the turnstile on your historical journey from the
early peoples of South Africa to the birth of democracy in the country, tall cages
greet you, and inside the cages are blown -up copies of the racially-tagged identity
cards, identity books and the hated pass books.
The rest of the Museum is just as graphic:
•
a large yellow and blue casspir 2 in which you can sit and watch footage taken
from inside the vehicle driving through the townships;
dangling from the roof, 121 nooses representing the political prisoners hanged
during apartheid;
a 16 June 1976 room with a curved wall of monitors projecting horrific images
of the day from around the world;
a cageful of dreadful weapons that were used by the security forces to enforce
apartheid.
•
•
•
Source: Adapted from Joburg website November 2004, written by Lucille Davie
1
2
toy-toying, a Zulu protest dance
casspir, an armoured vehicle
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Why I love Joburg
Yvonne Mokgoro, Constitutional Court judge on website ‘Why I love Joburg’;
text written by Lucille Davie
Johannesburg is a true reflection of what So uth Africa is, says Constitutional
Court judge Yvonne Mokgoro.
If something happens in the country, it happens in Joburg, she says. In
addition, the city demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of South Africa,
and it’s here where you find the answers t o issues, Mokgoro believes.
She has lived in the city for 10 years, since her appointment to the court in
1994, and finds that ‘there’s never a dull moment’. She goes to theatre and
says she particularly enjoys “African Footprint”, and to movies and museu ms
like the Apartheid Museum. When she has visitors she books them on a tour
of Soweto.
She reckons that Sowetans, like other Joburgers, are innovative. ‘They excel
in ideas, there are so many creative people here, and innovation is
encouraged.’ The result is that Soweto is opening up to tourists and B&Bs in
the township are growing.
‘People with talent are drawn to Joburg, and that enriches what we have
here,’ she says.
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Why I love Joburg
Linda Shaw, Astrologer on website ‘Why I love Joburg’, May 2005; text
written by Lucille Davie
Although she was born in Wales, you’d have to shoot her to get her out of
Joburg, says astrologer Linda Shaw.
One of the country’s most popular astrologers, Shaw describes Joburg as the
‘best city in the world’, where the temperament of people tends towards
optimism. She adds, ‘The weather has a lot to do with this. It plays a large
part in the mood of the people.’
Shaw arrived in Joburg at 16, doing her matric here and reading for a BA
degree at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. Then it was straight back to
Jozi after that, and she hasn’t left since.
Joburgers are open and warm-hearted, she says. ‘If they meet you on the bus,
they’ll invite you home for dinner, and you could stay a week. ’
In contrast, Cape Town has a class or clique system that doesn’t exist in
Joburg. There is also “so much raw talent here, combined with relatively few
rules, which means you can pretty much become what you like.”
And that is exactly what she did. After being a journalist working on seve ral
publications for more than 20 years, her interest in astrology developed into
her profession. She now provides horoscopes for The Sunday Times, Elle,
True Love, Fair Lady, Shape, The Big Issue and Salt Water Girl.
Joburgers are also self-sufficient: a friend who lives in Craighall grows her
own vegetables and supplies her friends with eggs from her chickens.
Soaking up the city by going to movies and theatre, Shaw gets her biggest
pleasure from just being with friends, drinking wine and talking. “The quality
of people is so fascinating,” she says.
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Census 2001
In 2003 South Africa published the results of a major census carried out in
2001. While the census highlights significant inequalities based on race (see
Section 4), it also highlights significant regional inequalities between the
Provinces as outlined in some of the statistics that follow.
The following statistics are from the South African government website.
Figure 1.3: Percentage of households in each province using wood for
cooking
In October 2001, 60% of households in Limpopo were using wood as the
main source of energy for cooking, almost three times the national average.
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A PROFILE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Figure 1.4: Percentage of households in each province with no toilet
facility
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A PROFILE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Figure 1.5: Percentage of the population aged 20 and above in each
province with no education
In Limpopo more than a third of those aged 20 years and above had not
received any education.
Table 1.8: Number and percentages of households in each province with
selected household goods
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A PROFILE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Section 1: Activities
This section is an introduction to South Africa and will not be directly
examined in the exam. It provides a brief overview of South Africa’s history,
peoples and economy. The statistics on provincial inequalities are relevant for
any exam question on inequalities in South Africa (see Section 4).
1.1
Draw up a time chart covering the following key dates:
1652
1899–1902
1910
1948
1.2
Why is South Africa referred to as a ‘rainbow nation’?
1.3
What evidence supports the view that South Africa is one of the richest
countries in Africa?
1.4
Refer to Tables 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5. Outline the main changes that have
taken place in South Africa’s population.
1.5
Land and regional features
(a)
(b)
(c)
1.6
Case study: Johannesburg
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
1.7
Which province is the largest in size and has the smallest population?
Which province has the largest population but is the smallest in
size?
For each of the nine provinces, highlight two significant facts or
features.
Why is Joburg an important city in South Africa?
Refer to the profile of Johannesburg. Describe the key features of
the city in terms of: population, language, sanitation, occupation,
labour force and educational levels.
Why is Soweto the most famous Black African community in
South Africa?
Why is the Apartheid Museum of importance?
Refer to the views of Yvonne and Linda: Why do they love Joburg?
2001 census results
What evidence supports the view that there are significant regional
inequalities in South Africa? (Refer to cooking and toilet facilities,
education and household goods.)
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