South Africa
South Africa
British colony.

1910 – South Africa granted self-rule

1994

Minority of whites governed the nation


16% white
70% black
• (the rest are a mix of various populations)
Apartheid
Legal system that created a rigid separation
of races.
Origins of Apartheid
1948
Nationalist Party
Afrikaners/Boers

White farmers - conservative


Descendants of Dutch settlers who held strong
views on white superiority.
Nationalists strengthened segregation.
Apartheid
Classification System:

White





Free
Could vote
Black
Coloured (people of mixed race)
Asian

Any NON-white could not vote and had restrictions on where
one could travel and live.
Apartheid
4/5 of South Africa belonged to the white
minority.

This included rich farmlands, areas with mineral
wealth, and other land containing value.
Townships:

Many non-white groups were restricted to live in areas
where the land was not as valuable. These areas became
known as townships.
Homelands - Bantustans
South African blacks were stripped of their
citizenship, legally becoming citizens of one of ten
tribally based and nominally self-governing
Bantustans (tribal homelands)

The homelands occupied relatively small and
economically unproductive areas of the country.

Example:

Zulus; Xhosas
• Located to dry infertile areas
Apartheid – Justification
Allowed each group to develop its own
culture.
Strict Laws
Pass Laws

All black South Africans living in a town or city must
carry a passbook.

Passbook:

Record of –




Where one could travel or work
Tax payments
Record of criminal convictions
*Had to be carried AT ALL TIMES and produced ON DEMAND.
Apartheid
Enforcing a system of inequality:

Blacks could not:
Ride on a “white” bus
 Swim on a “white” beach
 Eat at “white” restaurants
 Black schools received less funding

• Created a lower literacy rate amongst blacks
Sharpeville Massacre
South African police open fire killing more
than 60 people.
African National Congress
ANC

Opposition group to
apartheid government.

Nelson Mandela
Sentenced to life in
prison in 1964


Later would be freed and
become the first black –
African president of
South Africa.
Afrikaans
Language of white South Africans who are
descended from Dutch settlers.

Black school students protested the teaching of
Afrikaans in schools.

Police respond with violence
Protests spread
Reformers
Nelson Mandela – ANC

Leader of the ANC; influencial anti-apartheid
activist. Later, first fully African-elected President
of South Africa
Archbishop Desmond Tutu


Anglican Archbishop
Won Nobel Peace Prize for being an outspoken
anti-apartheid activist.
Steve Biko


Student leader, anti-apartheid activist.
Died from massive head injuries inflicted by
South African police*
*though police claimed he died as a result of a
prolonged hunger strike.
International Pressure
South Africa:
United Nations places an arms embargo
 Olympic Committee banned South Africans
from competition
 Faced economic sanctions (cut-off trade)


United States was one.
Sanctions in Action
Economic sanctions:
Slowed South African
economy
 This motivated white –
South African business
owners to move toward
change.

The Beginning of the End of Apartheid
1980’s
Pass Laws Repealed
 Un-segregated some facilities


F.W. de Klerk – South Africa’s President
Lifted the ban on the ANC
 Freed Nelson Mandela from prison
 Began to hold talks with black leaders

A New Constitution
Blacks given basic rights.
Vote
 Run for political office
 Dissolve travel and living restrictions.

Nelson Mandela
First fully-elected African
President of South Africa
Member of ANC

Faces opposition from the
Ikantha Freedom Party
 Small group of white’s
opposed to reforms.
Review
What were the Pass Laws?
Define “apartheid”
What were blacks given under the new South African Constitution?
Who was Nelson Mandela?
Name 3 Anti-Apartheid activists.
Who was F.W. de Klerk?
Explain how international pressure led to changes in South Africa.