Rosie+Hughes

=South Africa =

I. Before World War Two, South Africa found itself in a unique political and military problem
 * SOUTH AFRICA DURING WORLD WAR II **

A. Had been closely allied with Great Britain

B. South Africa was constitutionally obligated to support Great Britain against Nazi Germany

C. September, 1939 - Declaration of war against Germany - the South African Army numbered only 3,353 regulars, with an additional 14,631 men of the Active Citizen Force (ACF)

D. South African army was only trained and equipped for guerilla warfare

E. Because of South Africa's racial policies, they would only consider arming men of European descent - limited the available amount of men aged between 20 and 40 to around 320,000

F. Most of the enlisted fighting troops were black, but they were not considered or cared about because of their race

G. South Africa's contribution consisted mainly of supplying troops, airmen and material for the North African campaign (the Desert War) and the Italian Campaign



II. The struggle for freedom in South Africa was different than other freedom struggles elsewhere in Africa.
 * CHAPTER 32, SECTION 2 - APARTHEID OUTLINE**

A. 1910 - South Africa achieved self-rule from Britain - Freedom was still limited to white settlers

B. The black majo rity of South Africa was not allowed to vote

C. Whites made up 20% of the population but controlled the government and the economy

D. After 1948 - the government expanded the existing system of racial segregation, creating what was known as Apartheid (the separation of races)

E. Under the Apartheid all South Africans were registered by race: Black, White, Colored (people of mixed ancestry) and Asian

F. Apartheid supporters said that racial segregation would allow each race to develop its own cultures - really it was designed to protect white control over South Africa

G. Restrictions - Blacks had to get permission to travel, marriages between races were banned, restaurants, beaches and schools were all segregated, black workers were paid less than white workers for doing the same job, blacks could not own land in most area

H. Low wages and inferior schooling condemned most blacks to poverty

I. The African National Congress (ANC) - main organization that opposed the apartheid and led the struggle for majority rule

J. In the 1950s, when the apartheid was established, the ANC organized marches, boycotts and strikes

K. 1960 - police gunned down 69 men, women and children during a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, a black township - the government outlawed the ANC

L. The Sharpeville massacre pushed the ANC to shift from nonviolent protest to armed struggle

M. Nelson Mandela - African National Congress leader - first mobilized young South Africans to peacefully resist apartheid laws - as government violence grew, he called for armed struggle against the government

N. 1962 - Nelson Mandela was arrested, tried and condemned to life in prison for treason against the apartheid - even while he was in prison, he remained a popular leader and powerful symbol of the struggle for freedom

O. 1980s - demands for an end to the apartheid and for Mandela's freedom increased 1. Many countries (including the U.S.) imposed economic sanctions on South Africa 2. 1984 - Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent opposition to the apartheid

P. Outside pressure and protests at home finally convinced South African President F.W. de Klerk to end apartheid.

Q. 1990 - Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and freed Mandela

R. 1994 - South Africans of every race were allowed to vote for the first time and Nelson Mandela was elected president of the new democratic South Africa

S. Mandela helped to heal the country's wounds when he welcomed old political foes into his government, including whites who had supported apartheid - "Let us build together"

T. After 1994 - with majority rule, Black South Africans expected a better life - still faced huge challenges

U. South Africa could only afford a limited amount of spending for housing, education and other programs - the gap between whites and blacks remained large - whites owned more than ¾ of the land - black poverty and unemployment remained high - crime rate soared

V. South Africa's government struggled to address all of these problem s



**TIMELINE OF SOUTH AFRICA (1919 - 2009)**  1919 - South West Africa (Namibia) comes under South African administration. Apartheid set in law 1948 - Policy of apartheid (separateness) adopted when National Party (NP) takes power. 1950 - Population classified by race. Group Areas Act passed to segregate blacks and whites. ANC responds with campaign of civil disobedience, led by Nelson Mandela. 1960 - Seventy black demonstrators killed at Sharpeville. ANC banned. 1961 - South Africa declared a republic, leaves the Commonwealth. Mandela heads ANC's new military wing, which launches sabotage campaign. 1960s - International pressure against government begins, South Africa excluded from Olympic Games. 1964 - ANC leader Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.

1970s - More than 3 million people forcibly resettled in black 'homelands'. (townships) 1976 - More than 600 killed in clashes between black protesters and security forces during uprising which starts in Soweto. 1984-89 - Township revolt - state of emergency.

1989 - FW de Klerk as president, meets Mandela. Public facilities desegregated. Many ANC activists freed. 1990 - ANC unbanned, Mandela released after 27 years in prison. Namibia becomes independent, apartheid dismantled 1991 - Start of multi-party talks. De Klerk repeals remaining apartheid laws, international sanctions lifted. 1993 - Agreement on interim constitution. 1994 April - ANC wins first non-racial elections. Mandela become president, Government of National Unity formed, Commonwealth membership restored, remaining sanctions lifted. South Africa takes seat in UN General Assembly after 20-year absence. 1996 - Truth and Reconciliation Commission chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu begins hearings on human rights crimes committed by former government and liberation movements during apartheid era. 1996 - Parliament adopts new constitution. National Party withdraws from coalition, saying it is being ignored. 1998 - Truth and Reconciliation Commission report brands apartheid a crime against humanity and finds the ANC accountable for human rights abuses. 1999 - ANC wins general elections, Thabo Mbeki takes over as president. 2000 December - ANC prevails in local elections. Recently-formed Democratic Alliance captures nearly a quarter of the votes. The Inkatha Freedom Party wins 9%. 2001 April - 39 multi-national pharmaceutical companies halt a legal battle to stop South Africa importing generic Aids drugs. The decision is hailed as a victory for the world's poorest countries in their efforts to import cheaper drugs to combat the virus. 2001 May - An official panel considers allegations of corruption surrounding a 1999 arms deal involving British, French, German, Italian, Swedish and South African firms. In November the panel clears the government of unlawful conduct. 2001 September - Durban hosts UN race conference. 2001 December - High Court rules that pregnant women must be given Aids drugs to help prevent transmission of the virus to their babies. 2002 April - Court acquits Dr Wouter Basson - dubbed "Dr Death" - who ran apartheid-era germ warfare programme. Basson had faced charges of murder and conspiracy. ANC condemns verdict. 2002 July - Constitutional court orders government to provide key anti-Aids drug at all public hospitals. Government had argued drug was too costly. 2002 October - Bomb explosions in Soweto and a blast near Pretoria are thought to be the work of right-wing extremists. Separately, police charge 17 right-wingers with plotting against the state. 2003 May - Walter Sisulu, a key figure in the anti-apartheid struggle, dies aged 91. Thousands gather to pay their last respects. 2003 November - Government approves major programme to treat and tackle HIV/Aids. It envisages network of drug-distributon centres and preventative programmes. Cabinet had previously refused to provide anti-Aids medicine via public health system.

2004 April - Ruling ANC wins landslide election victory, gaining nearly 70% of votes. Thabo Mbeki begins a second term as president. Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi is dropped from the cabinet. 2005 March - Investigators exhume the first bodies in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigation into the fates of hundreds of people who disappeared in the apartheid era. 2005 May - Geographical names committee recommends that the culture minister should approve a name change for the capital from Pretoria to Tshwane. 2005 June - President Mbeki sacks his deputy, Jacob Zuma, in the aftermath of a corruption case. 2005 August - Around 100,000 gold miners strike over pay, bringing the industry to a standstill. 2006 May - Former deputy president Jacob Zuma is acquitted of rape charges by the High Court in Johannesburg. He is reinstated as deputy leader of the governing African National Congress. 2006 June - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits and promises to limit clothing exports to help South Africa's ailing textile industry. 2006 September - Corruption charges against former deputy president Zuma are dismissed, boosting his bid for the presidency. 2006 December - South Africa becomes the first African country, and the fifth in the world, to allow same-sex unions. 2007 April - President Mbeki, often accused of turning a blind eye to crime, urges South Africans to join forces to bring rapists, drug dealers and corrupt officials to justice. 2007 June - Hundreds of thousands of public-sector workers take part in the biggest strike since the end of apartheid. The strike lasts for four weeks and causes widespread disruption to schools, hospitals and public transport. 2007 December - Zuma is elected chairman of the ANC, placing him in a strong position to become the next president. Prosecutors bring new corruption charges against him.

2008 May - Wave of violence directed at foreigners hits townships across the country. Dozens of people die and thousands of Zimbabweans, Malawians and Mozambicans return home. 2008 September - A judge throws out a corruption case against ruling ANC party chief Jacob Zuma, opening the way for him to stand as the country's president in 2009. President Mbeki resigns over allegations that he interfered in the corruption case against Mr Zuma. ANC deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe is chosen by parliament as president. 2008 December - A new political party is launched in Bloemfontein, in the first real challenge to the governing ANC. The Congress of the People - or Cope - is made up largely of defectors from the ANC and is headed by Mosiuoa Lekota. 2009 January - Appeals court rules that state prosecutors can resurrect their corruption case against ANC leader Jacob Zuma, opening the way for Mr Zuma's trial to be resumed, just months before general election. 2009 April - Public prosecutors drop corruption case against Jacob Zuma. ANC wins general election. 2009 May - Parliament elects Jacob Zuma as president.Economy goes into recession for first time in 17 years. 2009 July - Township residents mount violent protests in protest at poor living conditions.