wynberg girls high-lynne martin-history-grade8-south african industrialization

HOW DID INDUSTRIALIZATION CHANGE SOUTH AFRICA?Between 1867 – 1886 minerals were discovered

in South Africa.South Africa’s economy changed; it was no longer based on agriculture; instead it was based on mining.These minerals would make SA very wealthy

But did the country SOUTH AFRICA exist back then ?

NO ! Cape Colony & Natal were

British Orange Free State and SA

Republic (Transvaal) were Boer republics

Rest of land tribally owned by indigenous people: Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Swazi, Pedi, Griquas, Tswana

QUICK HISTORY Boers – Dutch descendants, trek out of Cape

Colony to get away from British control Boers in Natal angry – British annexed it in

1843 – trek out Boers set up two republics: Orange Free

State & the SA Republic (Transvaal) Most South Africans – all colours - lived off

land – subsistence farming Also traded: cattle, corn, ivory, skins for cloth,

blankets, weapons, ceramics

QUICK HISTORY continued

1860’s different groups in conflict land & labour

Natal’s commercial farms (sugar) labour intensive

Zulus could not be forced to work there They paid their taxes through what they

produced Result: Huge labour shortage (Unit 7.3)

DIAMONDS & GOLD DISCOVERED Discovery of Diamonds –

1867 – and Gold – 1886, changed everything

At this time, Britian was only interested in controlling the Cape Colony and Natal

When huge deposits of G/D discovered around Kimberley and in Gauteng, (see maps pg 108) Britain extended her control to the whole of South Africa – this led to war (Unit 8)

HOW DID THIS AFFECT THE NATIVES ? Urgent need for 100’s of workers for mines Blacks had to be forced to seek work 1913 Land Act - Blacks moved to Native

Reserves – owned only 7% of land Made them pay taxes in money, not goods Reserves too small to accommodate all Many young men sought work on the

mines to supplement the family income

WHAT WERE THE RESERVES?

The Reserves were the light coloured areas on the map, excluding Lesotho and Swaziland.

MOST of the population of SA lived on less than 13% of the total area!!!

WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD & DIAMONDS? Mines were established

People moved to the mines and towns grew up

Workers were drawn to the mining towns in search of work and this led to URBANIZATION

Labourers who lived far away became known as MIGRANT WORKERS

They worked for 11 months of the year and then returned to their rural homes

They signed CONTRACTS to work there

THE MINEWORKER’S LIFE ?

Workers lived in single - sex hostels

They were overcrowded; ablution facilities were poorly maintained, conditions were squalid.

To entertain themselves in the evenings and over weekends, workers performed dances and sang about their cultures.

Miners were separated according to their languages and cultural values.

Many came from Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Special language: Funigalore

DID MINE WORKERS SHARE THE WEALTH(PROFIT) FROM MINING? NO. Black miners were

employed to provide cheap labour and so their wages were low.

But, they needed money to pay taxes on the reserves.

So they were forced to work for minimum wages, live in awful hostels, far from their families and communities and were only allowed home once a year for three weeks!

This is an example of EXPLOITATION

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR OTHER BLACK

PEOPLE ? Conditions on reserves bad – moved to

towns – jobs & money Only allowed in ‘white’ areas if employed and

had a pass Townships around towns – temporary shacks Squalid conditions Many were illegal – no pass