History, Language & Culture South Africa

A group of Dutch merchants arrived in South Africa in 1652 and set up a resting point on the Dutch-Far East spice trade in Cape Town. Later, in 1806, Britain captured the Cape of Good Hope, forcing the Dutch to migrate to north and establish their own territory. The discovery of diamond and gold fields between 1867-1886 enriched the original settlers and established the Boer state. Later, more immigrants came to South Africa causing the original Boers to be invaded. The Boers then waged a war against Britain between the year 1899-1902, but was defeated in 1948. Later the British and the Boers together run the country since 1910 under the name of the Union of South Africa. It was later transformed into a republic in 1961, the African Nations' National Party took over in 1948 and adopted the Apartheid, a apartheid policy that favored white people. The minority and the oppression of the black, which is the majority The African National Congress party opposed Apartheid policy and several leaders have been jailed, including Nelson Mandela, who was serving up to 27 years in prison, domestic protests and international pressures causing negotiations and agreements to transfer power to the rule of the majority. This included the liberation of political prisoners, which led to the 1994 multi-race election, which ended Apartheid policies and the start of a ruling government led by the African National Congress. South Africa has eleven official languages. They are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.