The Bantustans (homelands)
The supporters of the ruling National Party argued that Apartheid meant
‘separate but equal development’ for each race in South Africa. However, they also argued that the blacks did not belong to one single race, but groups of different tribes such as the Zulu, Xhosa, Venda and Sotho. This meant that the whites would always be the majority in South Africa.
In 1951 the government decided that each African tribe should have its own
‘Bantustan’ or homeland and set aside 13.7% of the land in South Africa to be used. Most of the farmland was poor quality and there were very few jobs inside the Bantustans. Some of the Bantustans were very overcrowded and the people generally lived in very poor conditions. Africans living in the Bantustans also lost the few rights that they had in South Africa.
The government set up a commission to recommend how to make the system work and it reported that £104 million would need to be spent on building industries in the Bantustans for the Africans to work in. In 1959 the Bantu Selfgovernment Act was passed setting up 8 Bantustans (later there were 10).
£500,000 was spent on trying to provide jobs.
1. Why do you think that the government used the phrase ‘separate but equal development’ to describe the policy of apartheid?
2. Explain the advantages that the whites would get by dividing the blacks into tribal groups.
3. Describe the conditions inside the Bantustans. (You will need to use additional resources to answer this question fully.)
4. What would be the consequence of the government ignoring the commission’s recommendations for blacks living in the Bantustans?

The Bantustans (homelands)
The government in South Africa argued that Apartheid meant ‘separate but equal development’ for each race in South Africa. This meant that the whites and blacks should be kept apart but should be treated the same. This did not happen as blacks got the worst jobs, worst houses and worst living conditions. The government also argued that the blacks did not belong to one single race, but were made up of lots of different tribes such as the Zulu or Xhosa. This meant that as there were more whites than the largest tribes, the whites would always be the majority in South Africa.
In 1951 the government decided that each African tribe should have its own
‘Bantustan’ or homeland and gave 13.7% of the land in South Africa to the blacks.
Most of the farmland was poor quality and there were very few jobs inside the
Bantustans. Some of the Bantustans were very overcrowded and the people generally lived in very poor conditions. Africans living in the Bantustans also lost the few rights that they had in South Africa.
The government set up a commission to make suggestions of how to make the system work and it reported back that £104 million would need to be spent on building industries in the Bantustans for the Africans to work in. In 1959 the
Bantu Self-government Act was passed setting up 8 Bantustans (later there were
10). £500,000 was spent on trying to provide jobs.
1. Fill in the gaps
The ___________ Party believed that Apartheid meant ‘separate but _______ development’ for the people of South Africa. They said that blacks and whites would be treated the ________ . This was not true as blacks had the
_________ of every thing. Also the government said that the blacks were made up of many different __________ such as Zulu or _________. This meant that the whites would always be in a _________.
MAJORITY TRIBE SAME XHOSA NATIONAL
EQUAL WORST
2. Choose the correct word
In 1951 the government/goblin decided that each tribe should have its own
Bantustan which means hospital/homeland. The blacks were given 13.5%/31.5% of the land and it was the poorest/best quality. The were very few jumpers/jobs for the Africans and the Bantustans were very empty/overcrowded. Africans who lived in the Bantustans lost/won their rights.
3. How much did the commission looking into the Bantustans recommend shoud be spent on them? How much did the government actually spend?
4. When was the Bantu Self government Act passed? How many Bantustans were set up?