Timeline: History of Apartheid in South Africa (Grade 12 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Timeline: History of Apartheid in South Africa
Introduction
Understanding the history of apartheid in South Africa is essential for appreciating the context of "My Children! My Africa!" The timeline below traces the development of racial segregation from early colonial settlement through to the establishment of democracy in 1994.
This timeline provides the historical background necessary to understand the social and political tensions depicted in Athol Fugard's play "My Children! My Africa!" which is set during the final years of apartheid.
Early colonial period (1497-1800s)
The foundations of South Africa's racial divisions were established during the early colonial period. In 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed on the Natal Coast, marking the beginning of European contact with the region. The Dutch East India Company founded Cape Colony in 1652, establishing the first permanent European settlement.
A significant shift occurred in 1806 when the Dutch ceded the territory to the British. This change in colonial power led to conflicts between British colonial authorities and the Boers (descendants of Dutch settlers) and Zulus throughout the 1800s. These wars were intensified by the discovery of gold in the Transvaal region, which attracted international interest and investment.
By 1902, the fighting ended, and the Transvaal and Orange Free State became self-governing colonies. The formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 united the Boer republics with the British colonies of Cape and Natal, creating a single political entity that would become the foundation for systematic racial discrimination.
The Union of South Africa in 1910 was crucial because it created the legal framework that would later enable the systematic implementation of apartheid policies.
Formation of political resistance (1912-1919)
The early twentieth century saw the emergence of organised political resistance. The Native National Congress was founded in 1912 (later becoming the African National Congress or ANC), representing the first major black political organisation in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the National Party was established in 1914, comprising mainly Afrikaners (descendants of Dutch colonial settlers). This party would later become the architect of apartheid. The period concluded with South West Africa (now Namibia) coming under South African control in 1919.
Early discriminatory legislation (1913-1948)
Even before apartheid was officially implemented, discriminatory laws were being established. The Land Act of 1913 was particularly significant, as it prevented black people from purchasing land outside designated reserves, except in Cape Province. This law severely restricted black land ownership and economic opportunities.
The Land Act of 1913 was a precursor to apartheid that laid the groundwork for systematic land dispossession. It restricted black South Africans to just 7% of the country's land, despite making up the majority of the population.
The apartheid system begins (1948-1960)
The turning point came in 1948 when the National Party took power and implemented a comprehensive policy of apartheid (meaning "separateness"). This system categorised and registered South Africa's population by race, with the Group Areas Act forcibly segregating residential communities and often relocating black families to designated townships.
The apartheid system was further strengthened through several key pieces of legislation:
- 1952: The Pass Laws Act required all black South Africans over sixteen to carry a pass book, severely restricting their movement
- 1953: The Bantu Education Act created separate and inferior educational systems for white and black students
Apartheid was not simply discrimination—it was a comprehensive legal system that controlled every aspect of black South Africans' lives, from where they could live and work to what education they could receive.
Rise of organised resistance (1955-1964)
Opposition to apartheid became more organised and coordinated during this period. In 1955, the ANC met with other organisations including the South African Indian Congress, South African Congress of Democrats, and Coloured People's Congress at the Congress of the People in Kliptown. They adopted the Freedom Charter, which outlined demands for racial equality and planned campaigns of civil disobedience.
The government's response was increasingly violent. The Sharpeville Massacre in 1960 saw police open fire on peaceful protesters against the Pass Laws, killing 69 people and wounding over 200. This event marked a significant escalation in the conflict.
In 1961, the ANC formed its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), moving from peaceful resistance to armed struggle. Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1964 and sentenced to hard labour for twenty-seven years. South Africa's exclusion from the Olympic Games in the same year indicated growing international disapproval of apartheid.
The Sharpeville Massacre was a watershed moment that changed the nature of resistance to apartheid. It demonstrated that the apartheid government was willing to use deadly force against peaceful protesters, leading many resistance organisations to abandon purely peaceful methods.
Intensification of apartheid (1970-1976)
The 1970 Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act represented one of apartheid's most devastating policies. It revoked the citizenship of black Africans living in the Bantustans (homelands), and over the following decade, more than three million people were forcibly relocated to these impoverished regions.
Student resistance emerged powerfully in 1976 when high school students in Soweto protested against the implementation of Afrikaans instruction in classrooms. The police response was brutal, sparking riots across the country and drawing international attention to the regime's oppressive nature.
The Soweto Uprising of 1976
On June 16, 1976, approximately 20,000 students marched in Soweto to protest the mandatory use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. The police opened fire on the peaceful student protesters, killing 13-year-old Hector Pieterson among others. The uprising spread nationwide, with over 600 people killed in the following months. This event galvanised international opposition to apartheid and is now commemorated as Youth Day in South Africa.
International pressure and internal resistance (1984-1989)
The 1984-1989 period saw sustained resistance as townships revolted against apartheid rule. The government declared a five-year state of emergency, demonstrating the increasing instability of the system.
Change began in 1989 when FW de Klerk was elected head of the National Party and then president of South Africa. Recognising that apartheid was unsustainable, he lifted the ban on the ANC, released political prisoners including Mandela, desegregated public facilities, and initiated talks about dismantling apartheid.
Transition to democracy (1991-1994)
The final phase of apartheid occurred rapidly. The remaining apartheid laws were repealed in 1991, paving the way for South Africa's first democratic elections.
In 1994, the ANC won South Africa's first fully free election, and Nelson Mandela became president, marking the end of apartheid and the beginning of the "rainbow nation" era.
The transition from apartheid to democracy was remarkably peaceful, avoiding the civil war that many had feared. This peaceful transition was largely due to negotiations between key leaders like Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, both of whom received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Key vocabulary
- Apartheid: System of racial segregation meaning "separateness" in Afrikaans
- Pass Laws: Legislation requiring black South Africans to carry identity documents restricting their movement
- Group Areas Act: Law that forcibly segregated residential areas by race
- Bantustans: Designated "homelands" for black South Africans, often in the poorest areas
- Freedom Charter: Document outlining demands for racial equality adopted in 1955
- Umkhonto we Sizwe: Armed wing of the ANC, meaning "Spear of the Nation"
Key Points to Remember:
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Apartheid was not just discrimination - it was a comprehensive legal system that controlled every aspect of black South Africans' lives from 1948-1994
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Resistance took many forms - from peaceful protests and political organisation to armed struggle and international pressure
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The timeline shows escalation - discriminatory laws led to systematic oppression, which sparked increasingly organised resistance
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Key turning points include 1948 (apartheid begins), 1960 (Sharpeville Massacre), and 1989 (de Klerk's reforms)
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Understanding this history helps explain the social tensions and educational inequalities depicted in "My Children! My Africa!"