South Africa How did the drive for resources dominate the history of this country?
Mar 31, 2015
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