A Brief History

This blog might not be for everyone because it is focused more on SA history than on travel experience. But I know there are a few people out there that will find it as interesting as I do. SA’s history is rich, complex and tumultuous. I have found that many historical stories read more like a novel than a stuffy history book. Because of that my imagination and attention have been captured.


SA is sometimes called the rainbow nation because so many nationalities call SA home. The majority at about 80% is black Africans who originated from tribes like Xhosa and Zulu. The minority is made up of white Afrikaaners, whites of British or other European decent, coloureds who are a mix of Malay/white/black, Indians and various other nationalities.


The indigenous people to South Africa are the bushmen who are very short (under 5’) and the Hottentots who lived in the mountains, both of whom are brownish in color. Black tribes moved further south into what is now South Africa to make up the black population. The Dutch developed a colony in Cape Town as a stop off point for sailors on their way to India. The French Huguenots and some Germans came to Cape Town as well and these people merged with the Dutch to form the Afrikaans people who speak a single language called Afrikaans. The whites brought in Malaysian and Indonesian slaves, many of whom the whites took as wives because there were not many white women in SA at the time. This formed the Coloured people who are only a tiny percentage of the total population, but are concentrated in Cape Town and make up a larger percent of the city’s population. Of course the British tried to get a piece of the action when gold and diamonds were discovered and there was a war. The Indians came to SA initially in Durban as skilled sugar cane farmers and now are quite numerous throughout the country.


The US and SA have many similarities in our histories. We were both colonized by Brits and Europeans, we’ve dealt with the struggles of indigenous people for land and equal rights and we’re dealing with racial inequality and racism. The biggest difference is that black Africans make up the majority in SA. The attitude and views here are also much different. It struck me from the outset that SA people talk about race, colors, racism, and the troubles of the past with ease. In the US these topics are spoken about with discomfort or not spoken at all. It was refreshing to be in culture that had this openness. The black and coloured Africans also speak of the future with an intensely and genuinely positive attitude and view of the future. This puzzled me because while the apartheid laws have been lifted, the housing and education systems were still by and large segregated by race and economic status. Several people responded to our questions with the same reason…they are happy for the opportunities that will be provided for future generations, not for themselves. This view was profound in its selflessness.


In the 1950s the Nationalist political party won the national election and put apartheid laws in effect. Apartheid translates to “separate” and these laws were designed to separate the people by color. The most impactful laws classified people by color, required blacks to register with the state and carry a pass at all times, designated where people could live by color classification, outlawed mixed marriages, prevented blacks from certain professions, and enforced inferior education curriculums for non-whites. Families were torn apart when the government labeled some people coloured or black based on the texture of their hair or slope of their shoulders. Apartheid was in effect into the 90s, which seems strange to me because it is so recent.


After years of negotiations between the Nationalist government and the other political parties there was a general election in which all skin colors could vote. Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress won. There was a peaceful transition of power from the Nationalists to the ANC. This was an amazing achievement, but what is more amazing is the minds, hearts and attitudes of virtually all the South Africans that we spoke to (of all skin colors). South Africans are focused on reconciliation, forgiveness and a bright future for their nation. It is truly amazing that these scars are only 15 years old and have already begun to heal in a way that allows all South Africans to live together peacefully.