The development of the South African state
KEY CONCEPTS
Colonialism: A situation in which a territory is controlled by a foreign power and has lost its
sovereignty
Pre-imperialist situation: The period before imperialism. In the case of South Africa, this was the
period before 1652, when the Dutch settled at the Cape.
Separation of powers (trias politica): The doctrine that does not allow any overlap in the
composition and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial authorities
• Arguably the most prominent political actor in South Africa is the state.
• In this study unit we shall look at the development of the current South African
state.
• You will be unable to understand the current South African state unless you
know how it developed over time.
• In Political Science, most discussions about the state focus mainly on the
historical development of western European states.
• The South African state did not follow the same pattern of development as
western European states.
• In this course, we will argue that South Africa is a composite state; in other
words, it is the product of several influences and legacies.
• It is only when we can identify these influences and legacies that we can truly
understand the South African state and how it operates.
THE PRE-IMPERIALIST OR TRADITIONAL PERIOD
• As a starting point, you should note that, up to 1910, South Africa did not exist as a
consolidated state; before 1910, the territorial region that is today South Africa
consisted of a number of autonomous political entities.
• The question to be dealt with in this section is not about when the first inhabitants
arrived in South Africa (who they were or where they came from), but how these
people were politically organised.
• The most important evidence of the earliest inhabitants of South Africa comes from
archaeology.
• So far, however, archaeology cannot give us a definitive account of who the first
inhabitants of South Africa were and where they lived.
• Evidence suggests that the Khoikhoi reached the Cape (having migrated from north-
west of present-day South Africa) about 2000 years ago.
• The San are regarded as direct descendants of the late Stone Age people and lived,
for the most part, south of the Orange River.
• The Khoikhoi lived mainly in the coastal regions and had a more extended social
system than the San.
• During the late Iron Age period (approximately 1000 years after Christ), the number
of Bantu-language-speaking people in Southern Africa began to increase.
• The distribution of communities on the Highveld of what became known as the
Transvaal was largely determined by the presence of minerals (gold, copper and iron
, ore) and the new trade routes between Delagoa Bay (Mozambique) and the
Highveld.
• Phalaborwa and Great Zimbabwe were important trading centres, as were
Mapungubwe and Bambandyanalo in the Limpopo Valley.
• In the region south of the Limpopo River, there were four Bantu-speaking groups:
the Venda, the Sotho-Tswana, the Nguni, and the Tsonga.
• SeSotho-speaking people established themselves in the region between the
Drakensberg, the Kalahari, and the Limpopo in the form of three migrational
movements (the Fokeng, the Rolong and the Tlhaping).
• This group of people can be associated with the beginning of iron smelting and with
tribes such as the Hurutshe, Kwena, Kgatla, Ngwato, Ngwaketse, Pedi and others.
• By the 16th century, the Nguni, too, were established in the coastal areas of Natal
and north of the Kei River.
THE IMPERIALIST SITUATION
• For almost four centuries South Africa was subject to imperialism.
• In other parts of Africa, only the former Portuguese colonies, such as Angola,
Zanzibar, and Mozambique, were under imperialist rule for such a long period of
time.
• The most important implication of the imperialist era in South Africa concerns the
land issue.
• Because the history of South Africa is interpreted in different ways, claims to land
are described as either legitimate occupation or illegal conquest of the land.
• To simplify our discussion of imperialism, we will begin by considering the periods of
Dutch and British colonialism in South Africa, and then consider how imperialism and
colonialism affected Africans in South Africa.
• Although we will discuss this history very briefly and will focus mainly on the colonial
forms of government, you should always bear in mind that South African history is a
huge subject and includes many other important elements not mentioned here.
• , it includes (1) the early development of the philosophy and policy of apartheid,
which is related to Afrikaner nationalism, and (2) the development of capitalism
(particularly industrialisation) in South Africa.
• the Dutch period (1652–1806)
• the British period (1806–1910)
• the republics of Transvaal, the Orange Free State and Natal (1838–1902)
The Dutch period
• Although this period began in 1652 (i.e. with Jan van Riebeeck's arrival at the Cape),
actual colonialism only began five years later – with the allocation of land to free
burghers in 1657.
• Patriotic Movement submitted a petition to the Council of Seventeen, objecting to
the Cape's poor economic conditions and the behaviour of DEIC officials.
• By now, the free burghers of the Cape wanted two things: more economic
opportunities and political representation.
, • Note, therefore, that while the DEIC had a very limited task at the Cape, gradual
territorial expansion laid the foundations for some of the basic features of the later
South African state.
• For example, certain Western political ideas were introduced into South Africa and
this, in turn, resulted in certain forms of political institutionalisation, which differed
radically from the political institutions of the indigenous population.
• Most importantly, perhaps, it brought to South Africa the Western concept of a
state, with demarcated borders and individual land tenure (i.e. the right to own and
use a particular piece of land).
• It was therefore inevitable that the Europeans and the indigenous population would
compete for control over territory and political power, simply because both groups
had very different interpretations of who had a rightful claim to South Africa.
The British period
The British period may be divided into the following phases:
• the first British occupation (1795–1803)
• the second British occupation (1806–1910)
• the colonization of Natal, Swaziland, Basutoland, and Bechuanaland (1850–1910)
• the conquest of the Transvaal and Orange Free State republics (1899–1902)
• the period of responsible government in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State
(1904–1910)
• British ideas about the state Separation of power (trias politica).
• In Britain, political power had gradually been taken away from the monarch and
entrusted to the following three institutions: parliament (the legislative authority);
the Cabinet (the executive authority); and the courts (the judicial authority).
• The principle of the separation of power means that absolute power is not vested in
a single person or institution and that control and balance among various bodies of
authority are a prerequisite (essential) for democracy.
• The trias politica principle presumes that there may be no overlapping between
those bodies in whom the various powers have been vested.
• In the British territories in South Africa, institutions with legislative, executive and
judicial authority were created, although in some instances their members
overlapped.
• One example is that members of the executive were also members of the legislative
authority.
- The most important features of the rule of law are as follows:
- The principles of a constitution are determined and guaranteed by the law.
- All people are subject to, and equal before, the law.
- No person is guilty of an offence before he or she has been found guilty by a court of
law.
- The British colonial administration did not apply these principles in South Africa since, by
the early 20th century, racial and gender discrimination was still in place.
• Franchise.
- The British view that the franchise (i.e., the right to vote) should be granted universally
to all adults was not applied in South Africa.
, - The franchise was granted to adult white men only; the rest of the black population in
the Cape Colony and in Natal had limited, qualified franchise, which depended on
literacy.
The nationalist response of republicanism
• British rule immediately resulted in an outburst of republican sentiment.
• The first major events were the rebellions in the districts of Swellendam and Graaff-
Reinet in 1795 (Elphick & Giliomee 1979:338–343).
• For a short period, the inhabitants of the districts established republics as a sign of
their rejection of any form of British rule.
• Half a century later, the Voortrekker or Boer republics were established as a result of
the Great Trek to the interior, which was also motivated by a rejection of British rule.
• These are discussed in the next section, but it is important to note that
republicanism among Afrikaners was motivated by anti-British nationalist sentiment.
• Despite the defeat of the republics in 1902, anti-British republicanism continued in
the form of the National Party's renaming of public places (such as
Voortrekkerhoogte), its withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, the
introduction of a South African monetary currency (the rand) and the declaration of
a republic in 1961.
• This republican spirit was revitalised in the 1990s in the form of conservative
demands for a volkstaat in the place of the old Boer republics.
The republics of Transvaal, Orange Free State and Natal
• With the increasing settlement of whites in the interior of South Africa because of
the Great Trek, as well as the movement of Mzilikazi's Ndebele to present-day
Zimbabwe, the area north of the Vaal River was declared conquered Voortrekker
territory by the Voortrekker leader Hendrik Potgieter.
• The territory from the Vet River to north of the Vaal River became known as the
Republic of Potchefstroom-Winburg.
• This was followed in 1848 by the British annexation of the territory between the
Orange and the Vaal by Sir Harry Smith.
• Between 1850 and 1852, however, certain events occurred that shifted the balance
of power.
• These events were the eight wars between the amaXhosa and whites in the Eastern
Cape; Zulu dissatisfaction in Natal; and (it is believed) cooperation (against the
British) between Moshoeshoe I and Andries Pretorius of Transvaal and between the
Voortrekkers in Transvaal and the Orange River Sovereignty.
• The result was the conclusion of the Sand River Convention in January 1852,
whereby the British officially recognised the independence of the territory north of
the Vaal River.
• This Convention officially recognised the territory between the Orange and Vaal
rivers as an independent state (which became known as the Republic of the Orange
Free State).
• This Convention officially recognised the territory between the Orange and Vaal
rivers as an independent state (which became known as the Republic of the Orange
Free State).
KEY CONCEPTS
Colonialism: A situation in which a territory is controlled by a foreign power and has lost its
sovereignty
Pre-imperialist situation: The period before imperialism. In the case of South Africa, this was the
period before 1652, when the Dutch settled at the Cape.
Separation of powers (trias politica): The doctrine that does not allow any overlap in the
composition and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial authorities
• Arguably the most prominent political actor in South Africa is the state.
• In this study unit we shall look at the development of the current South African
state.
• You will be unable to understand the current South African state unless you
know how it developed over time.
• In Political Science, most discussions about the state focus mainly on the
historical development of western European states.
• The South African state did not follow the same pattern of development as
western European states.
• In this course, we will argue that South Africa is a composite state; in other
words, it is the product of several influences and legacies.
• It is only when we can identify these influences and legacies that we can truly
understand the South African state and how it operates.
THE PRE-IMPERIALIST OR TRADITIONAL PERIOD
• As a starting point, you should note that, up to 1910, South Africa did not exist as a
consolidated state; before 1910, the territorial region that is today South Africa
consisted of a number of autonomous political entities.
• The question to be dealt with in this section is not about when the first inhabitants
arrived in South Africa (who they were or where they came from), but how these
people were politically organised.
• The most important evidence of the earliest inhabitants of South Africa comes from
archaeology.
• So far, however, archaeology cannot give us a definitive account of who the first
inhabitants of South Africa were and where they lived.
• Evidence suggests that the Khoikhoi reached the Cape (having migrated from north-
west of present-day South Africa) about 2000 years ago.
• The San are regarded as direct descendants of the late Stone Age people and lived,
for the most part, south of the Orange River.
• The Khoikhoi lived mainly in the coastal regions and had a more extended social
system than the San.
• During the late Iron Age period (approximately 1000 years after Christ), the number
of Bantu-language-speaking people in Southern Africa began to increase.
• The distribution of communities on the Highveld of what became known as the
Transvaal was largely determined by the presence of minerals (gold, copper and iron
, ore) and the new trade routes between Delagoa Bay (Mozambique) and the
Highveld.
• Phalaborwa and Great Zimbabwe were important trading centres, as were
Mapungubwe and Bambandyanalo in the Limpopo Valley.
• In the region south of the Limpopo River, there were four Bantu-speaking groups:
the Venda, the Sotho-Tswana, the Nguni, and the Tsonga.
• SeSotho-speaking people established themselves in the region between the
Drakensberg, the Kalahari, and the Limpopo in the form of three migrational
movements (the Fokeng, the Rolong and the Tlhaping).
• This group of people can be associated with the beginning of iron smelting and with
tribes such as the Hurutshe, Kwena, Kgatla, Ngwato, Ngwaketse, Pedi and others.
• By the 16th century, the Nguni, too, were established in the coastal areas of Natal
and north of the Kei River.
THE IMPERIALIST SITUATION
• For almost four centuries South Africa was subject to imperialism.
• In other parts of Africa, only the former Portuguese colonies, such as Angola,
Zanzibar, and Mozambique, were under imperialist rule for such a long period of
time.
• The most important implication of the imperialist era in South Africa concerns the
land issue.
• Because the history of South Africa is interpreted in different ways, claims to land
are described as either legitimate occupation or illegal conquest of the land.
• To simplify our discussion of imperialism, we will begin by considering the periods of
Dutch and British colonialism in South Africa, and then consider how imperialism and
colonialism affected Africans in South Africa.
• Although we will discuss this history very briefly and will focus mainly on the colonial
forms of government, you should always bear in mind that South African history is a
huge subject and includes many other important elements not mentioned here.
• , it includes (1) the early development of the philosophy and policy of apartheid,
which is related to Afrikaner nationalism, and (2) the development of capitalism
(particularly industrialisation) in South Africa.
• the Dutch period (1652–1806)
• the British period (1806–1910)
• the republics of Transvaal, the Orange Free State and Natal (1838–1902)
The Dutch period
• Although this period began in 1652 (i.e. with Jan van Riebeeck's arrival at the Cape),
actual colonialism only began five years later – with the allocation of land to free
burghers in 1657.
• Patriotic Movement submitted a petition to the Council of Seventeen, objecting to
the Cape's poor economic conditions and the behaviour of DEIC officials.
• By now, the free burghers of the Cape wanted two things: more economic
opportunities and political representation.
, • Note, therefore, that while the DEIC had a very limited task at the Cape, gradual
territorial expansion laid the foundations for some of the basic features of the later
South African state.
• For example, certain Western political ideas were introduced into South Africa and
this, in turn, resulted in certain forms of political institutionalisation, which differed
radically from the political institutions of the indigenous population.
• Most importantly, perhaps, it brought to South Africa the Western concept of a
state, with demarcated borders and individual land tenure (i.e. the right to own and
use a particular piece of land).
• It was therefore inevitable that the Europeans and the indigenous population would
compete for control over territory and political power, simply because both groups
had very different interpretations of who had a rightful claim to South Africa.
The British period
The British period may be divided into the following phases:
• the first British occupation (1795–1803)
• the second British occupation (1806–1910)
• the colonization of Natal, Swaziland, Basutoland, and Bechuanaland (1850–1910)
• the conquest of the Transvaal and Orange Free State republics (1899–1902)
• the period of responsible government in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State
(1904–1910)
• British ideas about the state Separation of power (trias politica).
• In Britain, political power had gradually been taken away from the monarch and
entrusted to the following three institutions: parliament (the legislative authority);
the Cabinet (the executive authority); and the courts (the judicial authority).
• The principle of the separation of power means that absolute power is not vested in
a single person or institution and that control and balance among various bodies of
authority are a prerequisite (essential) for democracy.
• The trias politica principle presumes that there may be no overlapping between
those bodies in whom the various powers have been vested.
• In the British territories in South Africa, institutions with legislative, executive and
judicial authority were created, although in some instances their members
overlapped.
• One example is that members of the executive were also members of the legislative
authority.
- The most important features of the rule of law are as follows:
- The principles of a constitution are determined and guaranteed by the law.
- All people are subject to, and equal before, the law.
- No person is guilty of an offence before he or she has been found guilty by a court of
law.
- The British colonial administration did not apply these principles in South Africa since, by
the early 20th century, racial and gender discrimination was still in place.
• Franchise.
- The British view that the franchise (i.e., the right to vote) should be granted universally
to all adults was not applied in South Africa.
, - The franchise was granted to adult white men only; the rest of the black population in
the Cape Colony and in Natal had limited, qualified franchise, which depended on
literacy.
The nationalist response of republicanism
• British rule immediately resulted in an outburst of republican sentiment.
• The first major events were the rebellions in the districts of Swellendam and Graaff-
Reinet in 1795 (Elphick & Giliomee 1979:338–343).
• For a short period, the inhabitants of the districts established republics as a sign of
their rejection of any form of British rule.
• Half a century later, the Voortrekker or Boer republics were established as a result of
the Great Trek to the interior, which was also motivated by a rejection of British rule.
• These are discussed in the next section, but it is important to note that
republicanism among Afrikaners was motivated by anti-British nationalist sentiment.
• Despite the defeat of the republics in 1902, anti-British republicanism continued in
the form of the National Party's renaming of public places (such as
Voortrekkerhoogte), its withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, the
introduction of a South African monetary currency (the rand) and the declaration of
a republic in 1961.
• This republican spirit was revitalised in the 1990s in the form of conservative
demands for a volkstaat in the place of the old Boer republics.
The republics of Transvaal, Orange Free State and Natal
• With the increasing settlement of whites in the interior of South Africa because of
the Great Trek, as well as the movement of Mzilikazi's Ndebele to present-day
Zimbabwe, the area north of the Vaal River was declared conquered Voortrekker
territory by the Voortrekker leader Hendrik Potgieter.
• The territory from the Vet River to north of the Vaal River became known as the
Republic of Potchefstroom-Winburg.
• This was followed in 1848 by the British annexation of the territory between the
Orange and the Vaal by Sir Harry Smith.
• Between 1850 and 1852, however, certain events occurred that shifted the balance
of power.
• These events were the eight wars between the amaXhosa and whites in the Eastern
Cape; Zulu dissatisfaction in Natal; and (it is believed) cooperation (against the
British) between Moshoeshoe I and Andries Pretorius of Transvaal and between the
Voortrekkers in Transvaal and the Orange River Sovereignty.
• The result was the conclusion of the Sand River Convention in January 1852,
whereby the British officially recognised the independence of the territory north of
the Vaal River.
• This Convention officially recognised the territory between the Orange and Vaal
rivers as an independent state (which became known as the Republic of the Orange
Free State).
• This Convention officially recognised the territory between the Orange and Vaal
rivers as an independent state (which became known as the Republic of the Orange
Free State).
