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An update from Evaneos
South Africa

The history of Nelson Mandela's birthplace

It wasn't until the arrival of Dom Vasco de Gama in the 15th Century that this country was discovered...

The discovery of South Africa and colonisation by the Dutch.

South Africa's earliest inhabitants were indigenous hunter-gatherers. Around 2,000 BC they developed animal husbandry. A century later the Bantu settled in the country. It was Dom Vasco de Gama who, in 1497, first sailed into South Africa's unchartered waters. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company began to colonise the country, importing slaves from Batavia and Madagascar as their work force. By 1691 the Dutch 'Cape Colony' had been established.

The Boer Wars

By 1795 the Cape had been taken over by British colonists who, in 1820, founded the must-see Port Elizabeth. Slavery was abolished in 1835 and the Franco-Dutch Boers began their 'Great Trek' or exodus by way of escaping British rule. In 1852 Transvaal was recognised as independent. In 1854 the now British 'Cape Colony' drew up a constitution and a local government was formed. in 1855, another town you should visit, Pretoria , was founded by the Boers. It became the capital of the Boer Republic of Transvaal.

And, subsequently, was annexed by the British in 1877. 1880 saw the First Boer War, which the British lost. The Second Boer War broke out in 1899, this time securing victory for the British who spread across the country. More than 6,000 Boer civilians lost their lives in concentration camps that the British had built. In 1906, Transvaal was the only Boer colony to obtain political autonomy.

Segregation and Apartheid

1912 saw the formation of the ANC or African National Congress, in order to defend the rights of black South Africans. It was also at this time that segregation began to be enforced. In 1914 James Barry Hertzog, along with former Boer officers, formed the National Party. And it was he who, in 1924, led the first Afrikaner nationalist government. In 1936 black voters were removed from the electoral roll in the Cape province. Three young activists, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo formed the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). In 1948 the National Party won the elections. It formed a government comprising of white Afrikaners. The contentious apartheid laws were introduced between 1949 and 1954. Marriage between black and whites was forbidden and intimate relations punished. The population was classified according to race. In 1960 African nationalist movements were declared illegal, including the ANC, which had actively fought against apartheid since 1952. In 1961 the ANC took to arms and two years later Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison.

History South Africa

The end of apartheid and the election of Mandela, South Africa's first black president.

In 1984 a new constitution was drawn up. Apartheid laws were gradually eradicated from 1986 onwards. In 1990, the ANC was declared to be legal and Nelson Mandela was freed. The first multi-racial elections were held in 1994 and were won by the ANC. Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black President. In 1995 South Africa hosted the rugby World Cup. In 1999, Thabo Mbeki was the second black President to be elected in South Africa. He served two terms. 2005 saw mounting dissatisfaction in the shanty towns and protesters began to accuse local officials of corruption. In 2006 South Africa became the first African country to legalise same sex marriage. And in 2009, Jacob Zuma was elected as President. 2013 was marked by the death of Nelson Mandela.

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