Racism in South Africa
Tyler Stewart November 18, 2013
Racism in South Africa
The Dutch East India Company were the first European company to set up shop
near the southern tip of Africa in 1652. By the 1700’s the Dutch were calling themselves
Afrikaners as they made South Africa their new home. However, they weren’t the first
settlers to reach South Africa. This honor goes to the Bantu tribes which settled in South
Africa roughly 2,000 years ago. The Bantu either scared away or absorbed with earlier
tribes from the region.
The British empire took control of South Africa during its expansion years in
1806. As a result to the British gaining control over the region a small group of
Afrikaners, called the voortrekkers, decided to leave the area to establish the Orange
Free State in 1852 and the Transvaal in 1854. This happened movement happened over
the dispute of slavery which the British were against. The British abolished slavery in
1833.
From 1779 to 1878, boundaries were outlined between white farmers and the
Xhosa kingdoms after land wars near the eastern coast of South Africa. Prior to this
move, whites had dominated the Khoi-San tribes fairly easily which decimated the tribes
economy. However, the greatest opponent to white were of the Zulu Kingdom resulting
in people to search for other lands. These folks were able to establish strong states via
the Zulu model. Since mass areas of the region weren’t as populated, whites took
advantage and were able to keep some of its pre-colonial systems while playing an
important role in colonial administrations.
Britain took control over Natal, part of the Zulu Kingdom, in 1843. British
immigrants created sugar plantations while using Indian labor. Fast forward to 2013 and
roughly 80 percent of South African’s Indian population lives in the KwaZulu-Natal
province.
In 1886, gold was discovered in Transvaal resulting
Racism in South Africa
The Dutch East India Company were the first European company to set up shop
near the southern tip of Africa in 1652. By the 1700’s the Dutch were calling themselves
Afrikaners as they made South Africa their new home. However, they weren’t the first
settlers to reach South Africa. This honor goes to the Bantu tribes which settled in South
Africa roughly 2,000 years ago. The Bantu either scared away or absorbed with earlier
tribes from the region.
The British empire took control of South Africa during its expansion years in
1806. As a result to the British gaining control over the region a small group of
Afrikaners, called the voortrekkers, decided to leave the area to establish the Orange
Free State in 1852 and the Transvaal in 1854. This happened movement happened over
the dispute of slavery which the British were against. The British abolished slavery in
1833.
From 1779 to 1878, boundaries were outlined between white farmers and the
Xhosa kingdoms after land wars near the eastern coast of South Africa. Prior to this
move, whites had dominated the Khoi-San tribes fairly easily which decimated the tribes
economy. However, the greatest opponent to white were of the Zulu Kingdom resulting
in people to search for other lands. These folks were able to establish strong states via
the Zulu model. Since mass areas of the region weren’t as populated, whites took
advantage and were able to keep some of its pre-colonial systems while playing an
important role in colonial administrations.
Britain took control over Natal, part of the Zulu Kingdom, in 1843. British
immigrants created sugar plantations while using Indian labor. Fast forward to 2013 and
roughly 80 percent of South African’s Indian population lives in the KwaZulu-Natal
province.
In 1886, gold was discovered in Transvaal resulting