Grade 8: Senior Phase History Term 2

Topic:

The Mineral Revolution in South Africa

Suggested contact time:

One term/15 hours

BACKGROUND: The Mineral Revolution in South Africa started with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley in 1867, and
intensified with the discovery of deep-level gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886. By the time that gold was discovered, African
kingdoms had lost their independence. During the gold-mining revolution, patterns of land and labour were established and
continued into the 20th century.

FOCUS:

Changing balance of power in South Africa brought about by gold mining,

and the foundations of racial segregation.

CONTENT & CONCEPTS:

Britain, diamond mining and increasing labour control and land expansionism
2 hours
Increasing control over black workers: closed compounds and migrant labour
Further land dispossession and defeat of African kingdoms: Xhosa 1878 and Pedi and Zulu
1879
Deep-level gold mining on the Witwatersrand 1886 onwards
Why gold is valuable
1 hour
The discovery and mining of deep level gold on the Witwatersrand
7 hours
How gold is mined
Conditions underground
The Randlords and the formation of the Chamber of Mines
Migrant workers (more systematic control and borrowing of compound system from
Kimberley)
Increasing burden on women in the reserves, erosion of families
Skilled and unskilled white workers
Anti-Indian legislation
Forms of labour resistance
The city of Johannesburg

The Mineral Revolution as a turning point in South African history

2 hours
The shifting balance of power: defeat of the Boer Republics 1902; African Political
Organisation (APO) 1902; Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) 1903; Bambatha Rebellion
1906; Union 1910; formation of South African Native National Congress (SANNC) 1912
(later renamed ANC); Satyagraha Campaign of 1913 1914; Land Act 1913
Map of Southern Africa in 1913 compared with 1860.

REVISION & ASSESSMENT (formal and informal) and feedback should be done on an ongoing basis.

3 hours

Learners should read and write for part of every lesson.

Evidence of learners work, including assessments, should be kept in the learners notebook.
This content must be integrated with the historical aims and skills and the associated concepts listed in Section 2.