Post-Apartheid South Africa

Mr. HerneisenHRVHS2008-09

VocabularyApartheid – former policy in South Africa of separating people according to race.

Distribution – the way people or things are spread out over an area or space.

Multiracial – made up of people from several ethnic groups

Segregation – the separation of one group of people from another, such as by race.

• Apartheid

• The former official South African policy of separating people according to race.

• Gave most political and economic power to whites (Europeans).

How did this happen?

Colonialism1650s – Southern Africa colonized by Europeans looking for natural resources – oil, gold, copperAlso good land for farming

Dutch settlersAlso called Boers (farmers)Developed new language called Afrikaans

Afrikaans Language

English: I eat an apple.Afrikaans: Ek eet 'n appel.Dutch: Ik eet een appel.German: Ich esse einen Apfel.

Racial Mixing

Eventually, the Europeans and Africans married and had families

Their children were called “coloreds”1860s

Asians begin moving to South Africa to work on plantations

Major ethnic groups in South AfricaWhitesColoredsAsians

South Africa During ApartheidSouth Africa becomes independent nation in 1910

Whites were given complete power over government

Policy of segregation institutedWhites and nonwhites were separated

Neighborhoods, schools, beaches, parks, restaurants, etc.

Asians and Coloreds treated as second class citizens with restricted rights and opportunities

Denied jobs, good schools, health care

Nobody Treated Worse than BlacksForced to move to “homelands” and poor townships

Shacks with no electricity or water

No health care

Minimal education No math or science taught

to blacks or coloreds

Not allowed to move around freely Worked in “White” cities,

but had to return to townships at night

Protests Lead to Political ChangeAfrican National Congress

Political party formed to fight for black rights

Nelson MandelaANC LawyerSent to prison for 27 years for protest activities (1962)

Violent protests – many protestors killed or put in prison

End of Apartheid

1991 – Apartheid ended by white president F.W. de Klerk

All South Africans can now vote and run for office

Mandela released from prison

Elected as President of South Africa

South Africa Today: JobsGovernment Programs for Jobs

Employment Equity Act (1998)

Law that requires fair pay and companies to hire from all races and genders

Backlash: Some whites resent jobs being given to nonwhites, simply because they aren’t white. Whites are now being denied jobs, just because they are white.

South Africa Today: EducationSchools now open to all ethnic groups

Same schools, same education

South Africa has emphasized preparing all citizens for good jobs

More nonwhites attending college

More education = better job opportunities

South Africa Today: Living Conditions

Cities becoming less segregatedMost “white cities” still too expensive for nonwhites

Improving housing conditions

Healthcare still limitedSouth Africa has highest number of HIV/AIDS victims in the world (5 million)2003 : 370,000 South Africans died of AIDSMost victims are working-age adults

Fewer workers = poorer economy