South African history is rich and complex, shaped by various cultures, conflicts, and political shifts. The region has been inhabited for thousands of years, with the Khoisan people being the earliest known residents. By the early centuries AD, Bantu-speaking groups migrated into the region, introducing agriculture and iron-working skills. The arrival of European explorers and settlers in the 15th century, particularly the Dutch in 1652 and later the British in the 19th century, set the stage for centuries of colonization and conflict.
Colonial rule led to significant displacement of indigenous peoples and the establishment of settler societies, which would lay the foundation for the deeply entrenched racial segregation that culminated in apartheid in the 20th century. The discovery of diamonds and gold in the late 19th century attracted further European interest, triggering the Anglo-Zulu War (1879) and the Anglo-Boer Wars (1880-1881, 1899-1902), the latter resulting in British dominance over South Africa.
The 20th century was marked by institutionalized racial discrimination under apartheid, introduced in 1948 by the National Party. This system enforced racial segregation and restricted the rights of non-white South Africans. The African National Congress (ANC), founded in 1912, became the leading organization in the fight against apartheid, with leaders like Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Walter Sisulu playing pivotal roles.
The apartheid era witnessed significant internal resistance and international pressure, leading to economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation of South Africa. In 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, and negotiations began to dismantle apartheid. In 1994, South Africa held its first multiracial democratic elections, with Mandela becoming the country’s first black president, symbolizing the official end of apartheid.
Post-apartheid South Africa has faced challenges related to economic inequality, social tensions, and corruption. However, it has also experienced remarkable political stability and progress in areas such as education, infrastructure, and human rights, continuing its journey toward becoming a fully inclusive society.
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Throughout the early 20th century, laws were passed to enforce racial segregation and disenfranchise the non-white population. In 1913, the Natives Land Act restricted black land ownership to only 7% of South Africa’s land. Black labor was vital to the growing mining and agricultural industries, yet blacks were excluded from political and economic rights.
The African National Congress (ANC) was founded in 1912 to oppose these policies, advocating for the rights of the black majority. In 1948, the National Party, supported by the Afrikaners, came to power and introduced apartheid, an extreme form of racial segregation designed to maintain white supremacy. Under apartheid, people were classified by race (white, black, colored, and Indian), and strict laws controlled every aspect of life, from where people could live and work to whom they could marry.
The system sparked intense internal resistance, including the formation of militant groups like the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, and other organizations like the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Leaders like Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, and Steve Biko emerged as key figures in the fight against apartheid. Many of these leaders were imprisoned, exiled, or killed, and resistance was brutally suppressed.
International pressure against apartheid increased in the 1970s and 1980s, as South Africa faced economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and global condemnation. By the late 1980s, the apartheid regime, under F.W. de Klerk, began negotiations with anti-apartheid leaders.