354 CHAPTER 12

Geography of South AfricaMineral-rich South Africa is located at the southern tipof Africa. The Witwatersrand, also called the Rand,remains the world’s largest and richest gold field. It alsocontains diamonds, uranium, and platinum. Since SouthAfrica is south of the Equator, winter is in July and sum-mer is in January. Most of South Africa is on a plateau.Much of it is flat grassland called the veldt (vehlt), wherefarmers raise cattle, corn, fruit, potatoes, and wheat.

TERMS & NAMESveldtAfrikanerBoerAfrican National

CongressNelson MandelasanctionWillem de Klerk

South Africa is working to rebuilditself in the aftermath of apartheid.

Since the end of apartheid, SouthAfrica has become a democracy.

MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW

Gold! Ten years ago,

George Harrison, an

Australian prospector,

discovered gold in the

Witwatersrand Main

Reef. Most people,

including Harrison,

thought the find wasn’t

worth much. Harrison

sold his claim for

approximately $14.

But many people

were wrong.

The gold buried in

the Witwatersrand is

one of the biggest

deposits in the world.

Many expect these

mines will soon produce

20 percent of the

world’s gold supply.

Prospectors from all

over the world are

coming to the sleepy

town of Johannesburg.

Already, its population

has passed 100,000.

South AfricaToday

Location • Johannesburg’s growth is

especially surprising considering that it is

hundreds of miles from the nearest railroad,

port, or major river. �

WITWATERSRAND MAIN REEF, SOUTH AFRICA, 1896

South AfricaToday

TAKING NOTES

Government

People

Economy

FuturePresentPast

Use your chart to take notes about Eastern andSouthern Africa.

History of South AfricaSouth Africa was home to Khoisan and Bantupeoples for more than 1,500 years. The Khoisanwere herders and hunters, and the Bantu werefarmers.European Settlers In 1652, the Dutch foundedthe Cape Town colony. Their descendents, calledAfrikaners, make up more than half of modernSouth Africa’s white population. Over time,Dutch settlers left Cape Town to become pastoralfarmers. Known as Boers, they developed theirown culture and fought with Africans over land.

German, French, and British settlers followedthe Dutch during the 1700s and 1800s. TheCape Town colony came under British control inthe early 1800s. Africans resisted British effortsto force them out of the region. Thousands ofBoers established two independent states in the1850s and followed a policy of apartheid.Wealth and War The discovery of diamondsand gold in the second half of the 19th centuryrenewed European interest in the area. It alsoattracted prospectors and settlers fromAustralia, the United States, and EasternEurope. Between 1899 and 1902, the Britishand the Boers fought each other in the SouthAfrican War. Africans supported the British inhopes of gaining some equal rights. The Britishwon and the Boer states came under Britishrule. Black protest organizations were formedwhen their situation did not improve.

Eastern and Southern Africa 355

Place • TheDutch landed atTable Bay andlater establishedCape Townnearby. �

A. AnalyzingMotives Whatdrew Europeans toSouth Africa?

Cape Town laterbecame the legislative capitalof South Africa.The country alsohas an administra-tive capital inPretoria and ajudicial capital inBloemfontein.

Nelson Mandela (1918– )Nelson Mandela, below, led the fight against apartheid. Hecontinued to inspire his followersduring his 26 years in prison forprotest activities. In 1990, SouthAfrican President Willem de Klerkhelped obtain Mandela’s release.In 1991, Mandela became presi-dent of the African NationalCongress. Amid escalating vio-lence, Mandela and de Klerkworked to end apartheid. In 1993,they shared the Nobel Peace Prizefor their efforts.

In 1994, Mandela became president of South Africa. His Truthand Reconciliation Commissioninvestigated crimes committedunder apartheid. He worked toimprove the living standards of

the black population and helpedenact a new constitution.

A Nation of ApartheidIn 1910, the British colony became theUnion of South Africa. Afrikaners retained apolitical voice in the new nation. Racial segregation or separation continued underseveral new laws. Nonwhites were discrim-inated against concerning where they couldlive and travel, what jobs they could hold,and whether they could attend school. Manywere forced to leave their homes. Apartheidbecame the official policy of South Africa in1948 under the rule of the AfrikanerNationalist Party.

The African National Congress The ANC,or African National Congress, was a groupof black Africans that opposed apartheid.When the government responded to their

passive resistance during the 1950s with arrests and violence, theANC became more aggressive in their protests. Nelson Mandelaemerged as a leader of the ANC and the anti-apartheid movement.The fight continued for decades. Hundreds of demonstrators werekilled, and thousands more were arrested.

Apartheid Ends Strikes had a negative impact on the economyand forced the government to change some of the apartheid laws in the 1970s and again in the 1980s. In 1985, the UnitedStates and Great Britain agreed to impose economic sanctionsagainst South Africa. A sanction is a measure taken by nationsagainst a country violating international law. Willem de Klerk,

a white South African who op-posed apartheid, became presidentin 1989. He helped to repeal many apartheid laws and to releasefrom jail those who had worked toeliminate the policy.

wcp-06-19-s3-a-0909.hirez

Bantu76%

European13%

Mixed9%

Asian2%

South Africans Today

356 CHAPTER 12

B. RecognizingImportantDetails Whatwere the mainways in whichapartheid affectedthe lives of blackSouth Africans?

GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER:Interpreting a Chart1. Place • Which people make up

more than three quarters ofSouth Africa’s population?

2. Place • Which group makes uponly 2 percent of the SouthAfrican people?

Nelspruit

Pietersburg

Bloemfontein

Kimberley

Pretoria

Johannesburg

CapeTown

Mafikeng

Ulundi

Bisho

NORTHERNPROVINCE

MPUMALANGANORTH-WEST

GAUTENG

KWAZULU/NATAL

FREE STATE

EASTERNCAPE

NORTHERNCAPE

WESTERNCAPE

INDIANOCEAN

ATLANTICOCEAN

25°E15°E 30°E

30°S

National capital

Provincial capital

Provincial boundary

N

0

0 150 300 kilometers

150 300 miles

Provinces of South Africa, 2001

GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER:Interpreting a Map1. Place • Name South Africa’s three national

capitals.2. Region • How many provinces are there in

South Africa?

In 1993, a new constitution gave all adultsthe right to vote. Nelson Mandela was electedpresident, served one five-year term, andretired in 1999. Thabo Mbeki (uhm•BAY•kee)then became president.

A New Era for South AfricaToday, the constitution of South Africa guar-antees the same rights to everyone in SouthAfrica. However, most black South Africansremain very poor. The government is working to provide betterhousing and to bring electricity and water to communities with-out them. South Africa continues to have the strongest economyin Southern Africa.

Cultures of South Africa Like its people, the cultures of SouthAfrica are very diverse. For example, South Africa has 11 officiallanguages. Although there are many official languages, English isunderstood by almost every South African because it is the lan-guage used in schools and universities. South African art andmusic are other examples of the country’s diverse culture. Jazz andjive have combined with Zulu and Sotho rhythms to make a new,vibrant musical style.

Eastern and Southern Africa 357

Culture • SouthAfrica’s diversecultures create awide range ofmusic and art.Zulu beadwork isone example. �

At the beginning ofthe 21st century,South Africa was conducting a newmovement called”transformation.“Transformationaimed at makingevery aspect ofSouth African society availableto every citizen.

Create a poster urging South Africans to vote. List several reasons why voting is important.

SECTION ASSESSMENT

Using Graphics2. Use a chart like this one to list

some of the reasons for conflictsbetween African and Europeangroups during colonization.

Main Ideas3. (a) How have the veldt and the

Witwatersrand contributed toSouth Africa’s economy?

(b) How did Nelson Mandela andthe ANC influence SouthAfrica’s history?

(c) How is apartheid related toSouth Africa’s current political,social, and economic conditions?

Critical Thinking4. Recognizing Effects

What actions did South Africa andother nations take to change thepolicy of apartheid?

Think About◆ the ANC’s efforts◆ policies of the United States and

Great Britain

Terms & Names(a) veldt (b) Afrikaner (c) Boer (d) African National Congress(e) Nelson Mandela ( f ) sanction (g) Willem de Klerk

European Group Reason for Conflict

1. Explain thesignificance of: