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The Government and Politics of South Africa

The Government and Politics of South Africa. From Apartheid to where?. Tribalism. English Dutch [Boers] Xhosa Zulu Tswana Other. History. Khoisan and Bantu peoples there when first Europeans arrived Portuguese created trading posts in 1550s

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The Government and Politics of South Africa

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  1. The Government and Politics of South Africa From Apartheid to where?

  2. Tribalism • English • Dutch [Boers] • Xhosa • Zulu • Tswana • Other

  3. History • Khoisan and Bantu peoples there when first Europeans arrived • Portuguese created trading posts in 1550s • 1652 Dutch East India Company set up provisioning station in Table Bay • 1657 farms allocated, slaves brought from East Africa and E.Indies to work them • By 1700 settlement moving into mountains. Smallpox decimated Khoisan

  4. History 2 • 1770s onwards increasing clashes with Bantu • 1795 British occupied Cape, reoccupying it in 1806 • Emancipation of slaves followed. These became the “coloureds” and included substantial numbers of Muslims [E.Indies] • 1820 many British settlers in Eastern Cape [a Plantation scheme to relieve pressure in GB • Natal followed as place of settlement

  5. History 3 • Boers also expanding and in 1830s, Great Trek to escape British rule • This and the British move into Natal brought contact with the Zulu nation • Roots of later apartheid began in Natal with sugar plantation economy. Indian labour brought in. Gandhi began his passive resistance campaign in Natal

  6. History 4 • Mineral wealth discovered in late 19th century • Independent Boer Republics of orange Free state and Transvaal had most of it • So Brits invaded [liberated?] • Boer War 1899-1902 “a white man’s war” • 1910 Union of South Africa set up as a self-governing dominion • Whites-only franchise except Cape

  7. History 5 • ANC founded 1912. APO had been founded 1902 • Communist Party 1921 • Nationalist party 1914 broke away from ruling South Africa party • 1934 all white parties combined to form United Party but NP then broke away • 1948 NP won general election. apartheid followed

  8. Apartheid • Pass laws already existed • Racial separation enforced • Created townships. Whites wanted blacks to do work but live somewhere else • “separate but equal” development • Disguised land grab. • Black “homelands” developed and 4 made independent

  9. The struggle against apartheid • 1950s non-violent struggle • PAC broke away in 1959 • 1960 Sharpeville massacre 69 PAC demonstrators killed by police • State of emergency introduced, black political leaders detained • Black political organisations banned. Leadership went underground or into exile

  10. Struggle 2 • ANC military wing formed • Mandela and others arrested 1963 • 1970s Biko and the Black Consciousness movement. Biko killed in jail • 1976 and through the 80s school boycott • United Democratic Front Mass Democratic Movement and COSATU emerged as legal institutions • 1979 Inkatha and Buthelezi

  11. End of apartheid • 1990 onwards release of prisoners, particularly Mandela • April 1994 free and fair election. ANC won 62%. NP 20% and won western Cape due to coloured votes, IFP 10% mostly in Kwa Zulu Natal. Mandela became President • Truth and Reconciliation Committee under Tutu

  12. Govt system • Parliament [National assembly] 350 -400 members elected by PR • 1999 elections: ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NNP28 UDM 14 • National Council of the Provinces: sort of Upper House. • Provinces more or less a federal system • President elected from national assembly

  13. Maps of variables explaining voting patterns in 2000 • http://www.gis.unbc.ca/projects/course_projects/geog413/2002/hallka/project.html

  14. Challenges • Employment • Education • Townships • Boer hardliners • PAC hardliners on land issue • Can a proper two party sytem be created that doesn’t revert to tribalism?

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