The Struggle for Democracy in South Africa & Apartheid

HISTORY Cape of Good Hope = 1st Euro settlement

Route to Asia, good climate, arable land, & resources Euros stayed along coast, natives moved inland

Afrikaners/Boers = Dutch farmers (17th cent) British (19th cent)

Tension arose b/c Boers used slaves 1868/1885: Diamonds & gold discovered Competition for land & resources led to…

Boer War (1899-1902) = Brits defeat Afrikaners National Party (1910) = Euro political party of S. Af.

APARTHEID: the separation of races

Policy of National Party to maintain control over black majority White-minority rule (13%) Deprived blacks of political rights, education, & economic

opportunity “Homelands” = inferior lands for blacks (poverty)

HOMELANDS

Homelands: non-whites were given less economically-productive lands that were segregated from the whites

IDENTITY CARD SYSTEM

APARTHEID RESISTANCE African National Congress (ANC)

Black South Af. political party Nelson Mandela = leader

became a national symbol of resistance spent 27 yrs. in South Africa’s prisons

ENDING APARTHEID 1986: Western nations imposed economic sanctions

Trade barriers created to motivate political change White S. Af. business owners lost billions of $$$ Motivated change

1990: Mandela is freed

1994: Universal suffrage! Nelson Mandela became president unity govt. converted South Africa

into a truly democratic nation 1997: a new constitution completed

the transition from white minority rule to democracy

ECONOMYMost developed African country

25% of Af’s economy Basis of wealth = minerals

Gold, diamonds, uranium, etc.

URBAN GEOGRAPHY Major cities are still separated

Rich white, poor black neighborhoods Integration has begun, but slowly

MODERN PROBLEMS>33% black South Africans unemployed25% = live in inadequate housing22% have (HIV)

highest in the world = lack of education & healthcare People cannot afford expensive drug treatment 2001: Govt. began distributing anti-AIDS drugs to

pregnant mothers w/HIV

THAT’S IT!