Nature and characteristics of discrimination

• “Petty Apartheid” and “Grand Apartheid” legislation

• Division and “classification”; segregation of populations and amenities; creation of
townships/forced removals; segregation of education; Bantustan system; impact
on individuals
Protests and action
• Non-violent protests: bus boycotts; defiance campaign, Freedom Charter
• Increasing violence: the Sharpeville massacre (1960) and the decision to adopt the
armed struggle
• Official response: the Rivonia trial (1963–1964) and the imprisonment of the ANC
leadership
The role and significance of key actors/groups
• Key individuals: Nelson Mandela; Albert Luthuli
• Key groups: the African National Congress (ANC); the South African Communist
Party (SACP) and the MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe—“Spear of the Nation”)

Day 1: Understanding South Africa reading

Homework before the session - Read Pgs 1-8
Developing context for the origins and nature of Apartheid
Different Groups How did they come to South When did they come to Describe their interaction with other
Africa? South Africa? groups during the colonial period.

Khoisan Earliest inhabitants Several thousand years -initially bartered with colonists
before Europeans -pushed out of their homes
-hunter-gatherers

Bantu groups From the East Coast of Africa 3rd Century CE -many tribes
-farmers (cultivated land)
-socially and culturally diverse
-Many alliances
-Interactions were many with Afrikaners
-the foundation of political control was
land size and cattle numbers
-Chiefdoms arranged with alliances and
marriages
 By 16th Century cultivated nearly all of
the E half of SA

Afrikaner - Dutch and German Protestants from Europe 1652 -Came with an expedition with Dutch E
descent India Trading company
-Initially wanted to stay along the coast
because they didn’t want to deal with the
bureaucracy of Bantu groups
-Given land owned by Bantu groups
from the Dutch EI Company
-Settlers took control of the land and
stole cattle
-Agricultural lifestyle
-Interrupted native farming
-removed far from European lifestyle
and communication

Coloured Descendents of white race and Late 1600s

Indians and slaves

British - English Took control of Dutch EI -Did not adopt Afrikaner language or
Company 1806 culture
Welsh, Irish, Scottish, -Great contrast between them and the
and English arrived in Afrikaners
1820 -Moved inland to establish farms
-tensions increased between groups
-new markets developed
-land regulated and expensive
-Political power based on class

Asian - mostly Indians 6000 Indians arrived as 1860

indentured servants
Brought workers from India - a
colony of England

The Mineral Revolution - What was it?

- When Afrikaners discovered several huge diamond deposits in 1867 and gold in 1880, it began a
 series of excavations of diamonds and gold which led the British to expand heavily upon their
conquest of Africa.
- It initially provided African workers with control over their decisions about working in the mines,
but later was fully overtaken by British control.
- The British decided that violent conquest was the best choice to monopolize all deposits on their
own.
- African men became migrants in order to work in the mines

Describe the effects on Africans (A)
- Were exploited for cheap labor and faced harsh living conditions as opposed to the
nicer pay and conditions that the Afrikaners got.
- Initially, they were given control over their work in the mines, but later they were forced
to become dependent on whites as the cattle population decreased.
- They began to impose taxes on Africans.
- They put them in compounds to restrict their abilities to work and control their
movements.
- Wages were insufficient to support a family.
- War between Afrikaners and the British - Africans were fighting on both sides because
they thought they would get rights.

Describe the effects on Afrikaners (V)
- Allowed for political mobilization due to large economic success, lead to movements
wishing for Afrikaner independence from British rule.
- Leads to huge struggles as the British push Afrikaners towards political reform due to
their economic dominance
- Afrikaner women and children were rounded up and put in concentration camps during
the war - increases Afrikaner nationalism, will come back in 1948

Describe the effects on British (MJ) - Conflict and unrest occurred as a result of their monopoly over the diamond and gold
excavations combined with the distress of the African workers.
- Had to reform their policies in order to maintain control over the fields.
- They were the ones that owned the mines.

Describe the effects on Race Relations - Essentially served as the catalyst for worsening racial relations in South Africa; due to
(S) racism and segregation being institutionalized, the divide between the white settlers
and the natives was wider than ever. Racial segregation became a priority for the white
settlers.
- Class differences were emphasized.
- Whites were fighting whites; scorched earth policy.
Describe the effects on South African ● Essentially created the "need" for Apartheid as the revolution demanded labor which
Society as a whole. (K) whites found in other racial groups (emphasized racial differences and hierarchy)
○ Disease and other conditions meant Bantu people became dependent on whites
● South Africa was transformed into an urban, industrial nation
● Made South Africa one of the richest mining area in the world
● Worsened relations between Afrikaners and English
● Migrant workers had to leave families for work
● All white men able to vote, but only some africans could vote (tried to limit this
whenever possible)
● 1910: africans and british joined together (Union of South Africa)
Day 2: Nature and characteristics of Apartheid
Before session - Read 9-18

South Africa before 1948

How did the British Government discriminate against people of colour?

How did groups respond to this?

Goals for Apartheid How did the government enforce these? Be specific. Pull
from the Choices reading and the textbook.

Social

Economic

Political

How did groups respond to the apartheid system? Be specific.

Day 3: Before and after Sharpeville
Before the session - Watch and take notes on Videos

How did the government enforce apartheid?

Before 1960 After 1960

What laws did the government pass to control the population?

Before 1960 After 1960

Law Purpose Law Purpose
How did different groups oppose the government?

Before 1960 After 1960

Group Tactics & Degree of Success Group Tactics & Degree of Success

Day 4: Day of Decision - give details supporting each option from the readings

Option 1: Continue non-violent struggle with Option 2: Use limited, structured violence Option 3: Use Guerilla War Tactics with
multi-racial support with Communist Party support African alone

What option do you think would be best? Explain why.

Epilogue: