South Africa

How did the drive for resources dominate the history of this country?

Objectives

Identify history of South Africa

Evaluate effect of gold on South Africa’s economy and society

History Prior to Europeans

Khoisan language groups Bantu language groups

Migrated from central Africa Nguni

Ancestors of the Zulu and Xhosa

First to come

Portuguese Cape of Good Hope (1488)

(1652) – Dutch East India Company French Huguenots refugees, the Dutch and

Germans settled▪ Afrikaners

(1779)- Dutch authorities and the Xhosa fought first frontier war

British gained control of the Cape of Good Hope by the end of the 18th century

Great Trek

Afrikaner farmers – Boers Great northern migration to escape British

rule Conflict with the Zulus Shaka (1787-1828)▪ Conquered most of the territory▪ Shaka assassinated replaced by half-brother

Dingane▪ Defeated by the Boers▪ Zulus remained a formidable force▪ Battle of Isandhlwana▪ Finally conquered in 1879

Anglo-Boer Wars

1880-81 and 1899-1902 Discovery of gold and diamonds

Influx of Europeans (mainly British) Many from neighboring areas moved to

work in mines Mine owners▪ Hostels

Conflicts arose British prevailed 1910 – Union of South Africa

Early 1900’s

1910 British exerted their control over South African territories forming Union of South Africa Continued discrimination and segregation of Africans▪ Prelude to Apartheid system ▪ Diminished rights of black majority

Legislation

Mines and Works Act of 1911 Limited black mine workers to menial

labor▪ Cheap Labor

Native Lands Act of 1913 Divided land between blacks and whites 13% of land to blacks who made up

majority ▪ Forced into wage work

Why would the government want to force them into wage labor?

World War I

Recession following WWI Mine owners reduced costs by hiring more

black workers Resulted in Rand Rebellion -armed uprising of white mine workers

World War II Black labor needed in manufacturing

industries Squatter camps sprung up among major

white cities 1948 elections Nationalist Party

victorious Policy of Apartheid Conflict arose

Protest to Apartheid

South African Native National Congress & Pan African Congress 1959 Began demonstrations against laws Protesting banned Prominent leaders tried for treason▪ Nelson Mandela ▪ Led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime with a multi-racial democracy▪ Jailed for 27 years▪ Country's first black president 1994-99

Late 1900’s

Government continued to ban new political parties and enforce apartheid legislation

1970’s South African Student Organization Black Consciousness Movement

Black pride and non violent opposition

Steve Biko

Becoming a Republic

May 1961 South Africa withdrew from the

commonwealth 1984 – new constitution

Allowed blacks and Asians a limited role in government

All power remained in white hands Uprisings in 1967 and 1985 started to

convince some members of the NP for the need for change

New Leader

1984 P.W. Botha came to power Began movement to reform apartheid Some reforms but protests continued

Government continued censorship of media and resistance to protestors

Need for change

1986 -Secret discussion began between those members and Nelson Mandela

1989 – Mandela released from prison Unbanned the ANC and PAC 1991- the Group Areas Act, Land

Acts and the Population Registration Act Last “pillars of apartheid” were

abolished

System Repealed

1989 new president F.W. de Klerk Admitted apartheid a failure

1991 Convention for a Democratic South Africa Multiracial transitional government▪ Equal rights ▪ Freedom of speech and religion ▪ Prohibited discrimination

An end to apartheid

December 1993 – new interim constitution

First nonracial elections were held on April 26-28, 1994 Nelson Mandela president on May 10,

1994 Established a Government of

National Unity (GNU) Permanent constitution on May 9, 1996 Mandela signed it on December 10, 1997

and went into effect of February 3, 1997

Mandela’s Five Year Term

Committed to reform Focused on social issues such as

unemployment, housing shortages and crime

Reintroduced South Africa into the global economy

After Mandela

Stepped down in 1997 1999 – Thabo Mbeki

Focused on bringing economic power to the black majority

April 2004 – re-elected, “recalled” in 2007

2008 – Kgalema Motlante 2009 elections – Jacob Zuma New elections in 2012

Economy Natural Resources such as Diamonds and Gold have been a major factor in South African economy

Gold Mining Begins

The first Gold Rush in South Africa began in the late 1800’s Large amount found in 1886

Mining was a strong industry by 1887 Rand Mines New township of Johannesburg filled with settlers

Gold Mining

Archaean Witwatersrand Basin Main gold producing area Mined for more than 100 years

Archaean greenstone belts

Smaller goldproducers

Divisions of South Africa

The Second Boer War

1899-1902 Two centuries of

conflict British migrated

to: Natal Then the Orange

Free State and Transvaal

Discovery of gold sparks the second war

The farm where gold was first discovered in 1886

The Rush for Riches

1869- 21 –karat diamond found along the Orange River

Kimberley diamond field Gold discovered near Johannesburg

Boer leader – Stephanus Paul Kruger Cecil Rhodes – De Beers

Consolidation Mine

The Second Boer War ends 1900- British had captured capitals of

both Boer nations Afrikaners set up a guerrilla campaign British looted, razed villages and killed

livestock Set up concentration camps for Boer

women and children 20,000 died

Surrendered May 1902 British now controlled all of South Africa

All That Glitters

Changed South Africa from an agricultural society to the largest gold-producer More than diamonds

Gold Standard Gold discovered in

1886 Transvaal became the

richest gold mining area in the world

Langlaate becomes part of the big mining camp of Johannesburg

Johannesburg

Became the biggest town in Transvaal

People of the mining towns

Prospectors Great hopes of

“striking it rich” Laborers

Young African men who came to pay; bride-price, taxes, guns or tools

Others Made money off

the needs of the people

Improved Transportation

Improved roads then railways Joined the ports to the gold mines then

to Kimberley New towns grew up around the

stations Farmers also sent produce by train More people would now:

Work for a wage Buy their clothes and food from a shop Lived in a compound, township or suburb

Ways to mine

Dig up the ground with picks and shovels Deep-level mining

By 1906 the Robinson Deep Mine (Johannesburg) became the deepest mine in the world at 800 meters

Pumps and ventilation Low-grade ore

Had to crush up the ore to get to the gold

All very labor intensive!

Mine labor

Plentiful supply of cheap labor made gold mines in South Africa viable

Most African farmers were not interested in working in the mines

Once the African kingdoms were defeated government taxes and land control measures gave few options for survival

Taxes

Raised taxes so that a man had to work extra to meet the required tax Had to be paid in cash

Had two choices: Earn money by selling produce or working for a

short time on white farms or in town Or avoid paying the labor tax by working for

wages for short periods either on farms or in towns

Most chose to work in the mines because the wages were higher than farm work

Working in the mines

“Touts” – recruiters Paid by recruiting agencies for every

worker they recruited Created a situation where there were

more workers than jobs▪ Low wages

Governments cooperated with mines because they were major taxpayers

Artisanal gold miners at work in Kanga-Isine

Gold Producers

AngloGold Ashanti is a leading global producer of gold Operations in South Africa at West Wits and Vaal River. Anglogold produced 4.98 million ounces of gold in

2008. Deep-level operations employ 37,000 people and

produced 42% of the group’s production in 2008 Gold Fields is one of the world’s largest producers

operations at Driefontein, Kloof, Beatrix and South Deep

DRDGold is a medium-sizedgold producer 4th largest in South Africa.

Gold Mining

Half million South Africans rely on industry 40% of all gold One of World’s largest producers China surpassed South Africa in gold in 2007

Gold Mining

Mines in South Africa are very deep Not surface mines-95% are underground

operations▪ depths of 3.8km

Can be dangerous and expensive

Costs of Mining

Coupled with declining grades, increased depth of mining and a slide in the gold price, costs have begun to rise Steady fall in production Highest cost is wages

National Union of Mine Workers Better wages and working conditions