South Africa Travel Guide - History

The Dutch were the first to do so, realising the potential economic and strategic importance of the area. In 1652, Holland sent a representative, Jan van Riebeeck, a successful merchant, along with 82 other Dutch men and women, to re-settle in the Cape area.

With the rapid expansion of the port’s facilities, an increasing supply of labour was needed. The need was filled by slave labour, and immigrants from countries across Europe.

The Trek Bo;ers roaming around the countryside often created conflict between themselves and the local tribes, resulting in the natives being forced from their land. Other conflicts were also underway in the area during this time, with local citizens railing against the corruption of the colonial government, and demanding their independence from its administration. The British put an end to this conflict in 1795, when they landed at the Cape, declaring the area a British colony.

The British rule continued, relatively free of conflict, until 1835, when more than 10,000 Bo;ers left the Cape region, travelling to the northeast. The migration was due to a combination of economic problems and discontent with British rule: the discontent came about largely because the British had declared the slave trade to be illegal and promoted equality between non-whites and whites.

The Bo;ers’ dissatisfaction with the British led to them separating themselves from the British – but this separation only lasted until 1910, at which time the South African Union was established. The new Union was a democratic state, but voting privileges were granted to whites only.

Racial separation was soon enforced, with the native black population required to live in an area where whites were prohibited from owning land; and the blacks were prohibited from purchasing land in the remainder of the country (which constituted 87 per cent of South Africa’s land mass).

As apartheid took firm hold in the country, the influence of the ANC party also grew, and was the core of black resistance. The massive protests that were organised resulted in a government-imposed ban on all opposition groups – with the result of dissent being forced underground. Following the uprising in Soweto in 1976, the ANC moved its activity above-ground, with the struggle becoming visible and militant – and South Africa becoming a police state.

President FW de Klerk declared in 1989 that the country’s apartheid policies were a failure. The government was no longer able to rule, and subsequently collapsed. The ban on the ANC was removed, Nelson Mandela was released from his 27 years of imprisonment on Robben Island and the first general elections ever were held.

South Africa today is an increasingly popular destination for tourists from around the globe. The focus has shifted from internal racial conflict to one that promotes the enjoyment of the natural beauty and cultural diversity that characterises this country. As with any nation undergoing major change and economic development, there are problems that do exist, but none so great as to keep potential visitors away.