South Africa

Narrated by Harry Reasoner

Hear a sample from
The Golden Triangle

South Africa has become the world's symbol of racism. From the moment the Dutch colonists set foot on the Cape in 1652, this nation has steered a straight course toward apartheid; civil unrest has resulted. These tapes explore the economic and social forces that have brought South Africa into the spotlight of international condemnation.

• 1488-Cape of Good Hope discovered by Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias.
• 1652--Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company founds Cape Town.
• 1795-- British seize Cape Colony.
• 1802--Cape Colony reverts to Holland in aftermath of the French Revolution.
• 1806--British retake the Cape.
• 1814--Treaty of Paris; British purchase (from Holland) South African lands.
• 1828--"50th Ordinance": free natives can work for themselves; pass system limits their mobility.
• 1835-1840--The Great Trek: Boers flee British authority.
• 1838--Zulus slaughter Piet Retief & delegation of Vortrekkers. Boers defeat Zulus at Blook River (Dec.16th) and establish Republic of Natal.
• 1842--British occupy Port of Natal; in 1843, Natal annexed to Cape Colony.
• 1848 --British annex area up to the Vaal River & defeat Boers there.
• 1851--Britain (Cape Colony) annexes Orange River Territory.
• 1854 --British withdraw from Trans-Orangia, which becomes Orange Free State.
• 1861-- Discovery of gold in Transvaal; diamonds found in Orange River in 1876.
• 1877-- Britain annexes the Transvaal.
• 1879-- Zulus kill 1600 British soldiers; the attack is savagely revenged.
• 1880-- Boers revolt and establish republic in Transvaal.
• 1895-- Failed expedition (backed by Cecil Rhodes) to reclaim Transvaal. Rhodes resigns as governor of Cape Colony.
• 1899-1902-- Boer War. Boers surrender to British at Peace of Vereeniging.
• 1909 -- Constitution of the Union of South Africa completed (May) & approved by British (August) to become effective in May,1910.
• 1913 -- Natives Land Act expropriates land of about one million Africans.
• 1926 -- Color Bar Bill passed.
• 1936 -- "Representation of Natives Act" requires separate elections for natives; "Native Trust & Land Bill" grants land in compensation for impaired voting rights.
• 1948 -- Nationalist Party gains power. Apartheid becomes domestic policy.
• 1960 -- The Sharpville Massacre; national emergency declared; African National Congress and Pan-African Congress banned. White electorate approves republican government, repudiating British Monarchy.
• 1961 -- South Africa officially becomes a republic (May); withdraws from British Commonwealth.
• 1962 -- United Nations passes first sanctions against South Africa.
• 1963 -- First black homeland (Transkei) established; becomes independent 1976.
• 1983 -- New South Africa constitution grants limited government participation to colored races.

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