Heading East From The Netherlands, Dutch Traders (Afrikaners)

During the period of Apartheid in South Africa between 1948 and 1994 the reactions of the South African citizens towards the legal separation of races varied depending on race, ideals and time period. After gold and diamonds were fud inSouthAfrica both the dutch and British wanted the land to themselves, leading to the Boer War from which the Dutch farmers emerged victorious. Following the Boer War and the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the Dutch Boers gained control over the majority of the land in the previously British Cape Colony along with the settlements they had already built, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Blacks in South Africa made up about eighty percent of the population but only lived on ten percent of

When comparing the struggling American economy of the 1930’s to that present-day South Africa, there are clear similarities. Firstly, the unemployment rates in both cases are strikingly high when compared to the countries’ international contemporaries. By 1930, The United States had an unemployment rate of approximately 25% (Minsky & Kaufman, 2008), almost equivalent to South Africa’s current unemployment rate of approximately

Historically, the South African economy has been largely unstable mostly due to political issues. Although, considering its counterparts, South Africa shows the most promise for economic development and growth (Jordaan, 2010 pg.5). In 1990 South Africa entered the global market after overcoming major political issues such as apartheid. Many economists agree that the changes the South African government has made to be able to compete globally, are for the better (Wessel, 2007). In the article “CAPITAL: Globalization Brings South

South Africa is a primary-sector economy, which produces gold and agricultural goods and is therefore primarily product dependent. Primary product dependency is a constraint on economic development. The dependency makes South Africa very vulnerable in the event of natural disasters. Furthermore, downward price fluctuations caused by exchange rate movements or variable harvests can have a devastating impact due to the low price elasticity of demand for primary products.

There are still gaps in the economy of South Africa post apartheid. This is due to the migrant labour decrease which resulted to increased unemployment. Certain parts of the country being independent states which were former homelands of migrant labourers have lost large amounts of their income resulting to the great obscurity. The social and political manoeuvres post apartheid and the re-incorporation of Venda into the now known, Limpopo created the now visible economic inequality or rather uneven distribution of wealth (McNeil). The people of Venda like of Owerri associate quick wealth with

In the 1830s, the British Government began to look to South Africa for the abundant gold and diamond in the area, as well as, with the hopes of gaining control of the most strategic port and route to trade with India. The British acted quickly, and started to take control of the cape of South Africa. In 1833, they emancipated the Afrikaners’ slaves, created more taxes, and auctioned off previously communal land. This caused great rage within the Boer community. The Boers were Dutch and Huguenot people that migrated to South Africa in the late 17th century (Great Trek). Starting in 1835, the Boers left their homeland with the goal of starting a new life free from British rule. The majority of the migrants left from the Eastern frontier of South

South Africa was beneficial for Britain economically due to the Transvaal region (Northern Cape) as it brought in high profits from the diamonds found in Kimberley (1871) and gold that was mined from Gaueng (1886). This is one of the factors that helped the British Empire expand in Africa because they knew that South Africa provided a useful stop for ships on their way to India. Consequently, this resulted in conflict between British and the Boers, the Boers wanted a farming lifestyle whilst the British made the Boer’s country full of developing businesses and industries. Tensions between Boers and British led to the violent Boer War (1899-1902), which the British won. Britain was now very keen to ultimately control South Africa because of Rhodes desire for the Cape providing its strategic approach and economic value. Economic factors were the main reason for the expansion of Britain’s Empire within (South) Africa as well as strategic reasons because Britons wanted to grow the British empire but most importantly, their aim was to generate a high economic value as well as enhancing their opportunities to trade to other colonies.

Throughout the 19th century, after Great Britain conquered the Cape of Good Hope in 1814 and expanded its territory in Southern Africa, there was tension between the British settlers and the Dutch-descended population which were called Afrikaners or Boers. This resulted in the Afrikaner migration called the Great Trek, which was from 1835 to 1843, and the establishment of the Afrikaner republics. These republics were called Natal, Orange Free State, and the South African Republic. Natal became a British colony in 1843, but the Transvaal

The superimposing factor that gives South Africa such an advantage over other prospective African business environments is that it possesses of a very powerful and sophisticated vantage-point geographically. South Africa is strategically located for manufacturing and exportation into several regions globally and can be an unmitigated platform for MNC’s who may be interested in a venture within this region. The important advantages include regional competitiveness, combined with reduced operational costs and a significantly prominent market access (Safrica.info, 2011).

Around 1652, the Dutch East India Company created a settlement on the cape, leading to several other indigenous peoples settling in the area as well . This tactic nearly parallels with the colonization beginning throughout the rest of the world. White supremacy gradually took over South Africa as more and more of them colonized the country, and worked their way into government positions. The English pushed the natives out and eventually did not care about race, merely about the money that came from labor . The Land Act of 1913, was believed to be the initial beginning of the apartheid laws. This act initiated by white supremacists marked the first major downfall of segregation for the colored and Indian peoples of South Africa. The Afrikans were essentially “divided into nine nations” and approximately 93% of the land was reserved for the white people. 2/3 of the population of South Africa at the time was considered African, or native people, and these people were all banned from “freely buying land”, making conditions very harsh, and malnutrition was extremely common . Urbanization occurred with white people in power simply increasing the segregation between races. Africans continued to live and work in absolutely terrible conditions. They often resided in the outskirts of cities in derisory housing, with poor sanitation, were lucky to have a bit of electricity, and had awful people to manage their workplace. The

The concept of apartheid was not invented by the Afrikaner nationalists, with the victory of the National Party in 1948. Rather, much had already been foreshadowed decades before with the term of segregation and was then further developed, strengthened and radicalized by the nationalists. The first traces of segregation in South Africa is probably found by members of the Dutch East India Company in the second half of the 17th century, since the colonization of the Cape. The trading company differentiated between employees of the company, slaves and

South Africa has the largest population of people living with HIV/ AIDS. In 2016, South Africa had an estimated 7.1 million people living with HIV/ AIDS [1]. This epidemic has ripple effects across micro & macro–levels of the economy. HIV/AIDS negatively impacts labor supply, total labor productivity & exports among other economic channels. Given the significant impact this disease has on the economy, this is a top priority for the business community and the government.

From the 17th century until the early 1900’s, European countries were fighting to get tracks of land across Africa. Although South Africa was unified by Great Britain in 1910, the African National Congress was formed two years later. It was only on Dec 11, 1931 after World War II when Britain gave South Africa its’ independence as a country. For the first sixty years after South Africa was claimed independent, white minority rulers dominated the country. South Africa is now an independent Nation but is still a member of the British Commonwealth.

The most popular in the informal sector is the retail trade of goods and services. Over 1 million people are involved in this activity and another 300 000 in community and social services. Together these sectors make up around 60% of all employment in the informal economy. The informal sector assists with job creation and reduces unemployment and poverty in South Africa.

According to the Mining Intelligence Database, the mining sector employs over one million people and spends over R78 billion in wages and salaries (The Role of Mining in the South African Economy, 2015), and importantly, it is one of the few sector that employs unskilled and semi-skilled people.