South Africa Overview

South Africa is so much different than Mozambique (the first country that I visited). Mozambique is a third world country. The place where I stayed was unlike my home back in the United States. Houses were made of wood and termite mud, the nationals spoke tribal languages, and many people that I met had never seen a white person before. It was definitely “different” and exciting. However, to my surprise, I was more culture shocked when I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa is a first world country that is very modern and English is one of the primarly languages. Overall, it is quite similar to the United States and at times I have to remind myself that I’m in Africa. It’s been a bit of a struggle for me to fully understand the “culture” of this place.

Here’s a bit of insight into South Africa. South Africa is located on the southern tip of the African continent with the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Indian Ocean on the east, and independent mountain ranges sprinkled throughout the land. Equally beautiful to this amazing backdrop is the human tapestry of the city, where dozens of ethnicities blend together. Here is a breakdown of the different ethnic groups. “Blacks” represent the African people that encompass 9 different tribes (about 75% of population). “Whites” represent European decedents, mainly English and Dutch people (13%), “Coloureds” represent people of mixed decent (9%), and Indian (3%). It’s uncomfortable for me to distinguish people based on their skin color. But to understand South Africa, it’s important to learn about its history and appreciate its ethnic diversity.

South Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the seventeenth century. English domination of Dutch descendents (Boers/Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch establishing new colonies. The discovery of diamonds in these lands around 1900 resulted in an English invasion which sparked the Boer War. Following independence from England, there was an uneasy “power-sharing” between the two groups until the 1940’s, when the Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. This National Party invented apartheid as a means to control the economic and social systems. The aim of the apartheid (separate development) was to maintain white majority rule while extending racial separation. Apartheid laws were enacted in 1948 and racial discrimination was institutionalized. In 1950 all South Africans were required to be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black or coloured. Apartheid was finally abandoned in 1993. In 1994 South Africa had its first fully democratic election and elected Nelson Mandela as the country’s first black president. This is the beginning of a new era for South Africa, however there is still much pain felt in this country.

If I were to sum up South Africa in one sentence I would explain it as a contrast between immense beauty, racial inequality, and poverty. I’ve included pictures to paint my picture.