LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
3.5 Missionary Functions and activities in South Africa
3.5.5 Divide and Rule
Of all the functions of the missionaries. that of divide and rule was the most prefelTed (Majeke 1952:20) to establish White dominance and destabilize the African order of life.
If they failed to penetrate the chief and the people because of their resistance, the missionaries would not give up. They came up with all kinds of dirty tricks to see that they won and pleased their masters 'vvho sent them as their representatives. One of the popular tricks that were used was to divide the people. This kind of trick they have continued to employ successfully in all the spheres of life to the present day. They have used this ploy in politics. in business. in sports and also in the Church. This tendency manifested itself by making sure that part of the society gained 'favors' and 'special privileges' from the missionaries or their masters. the colonial powers. To such people.
the colonial period brought them prestige. prosperity and achievement which the majority of the African people did not enjoy. The chiefs. \\'ho co-operated by showing their readiness to sign treaties and concessions. were recognized as superiors (senior chiefs) presiding over big areas and their fellow African chiefs. This brought friction amongst the chiefs to the satisfaction of the White men. By signing the treaties. they gave away the land and the mineral rights of the people without knowing that they were
doing so. These were the people who gained from colonial rulers. Those who challenged the colonial system and its agents. the missionaries. suffered at the hands of the colonists.
In discussing the problem of subduing the Afi'ican chiefs and their tribes and 'civilizing' them by bringing them into the new economic system. Andries Stockenstrom said. about the necessity of co-operation between the Church and the Government:
These two forces combined, will not civilize unless they make the Native chiefs the principal levels in the operations of their people.
.. .If we gain the confidence of the chiefs. they. with the power of the Government and the efforts of the missionaries will influence the masses ....
The powerful Government likes that of England. with equitable treaties ... will soon have the chiefs so completely under its influence that its word will be law without appearing to be so (cf Majeke 1952:29).
3.6 Racial Discrimination and Division
Racial discrimination was the worst evil and enemy of the Black majority in South Africa. In fact. the people preferred communism rather than apartheid. The Apartheid government denied one an opportunity to receive quality education and at the same time claimed that the people were backward and in capable of learning. Some people however.
would be given proper and quality education and said to be clever and competitive.
Racial discrimination tore and divided the country on the basis of colour:
The concept 'racial discrimination' is of fairly recent origin in the moral vocabulary of the West. Though it was used in previous century. it became common coinage after World War IL follo'vving concomitant desalinization of Black nations and the civil rights movement in the United States. The factors largely determined the emotional climate in which the term racial discrimination became common. In fact, the emotional significance the phrase acquired was so great that racial discrimination is a greater evil than communism and a more serious threat to world peace (Esterhuyse 1981: I).
[n South Africa. only those who have never been under the Apartheid system would argue that communism is 'vvorse than racial discrimination. The system divided the
people of South Africa based on the colour of their skins. shape and colour of the eyes, shape of their noses. hair colour and physical stature. It is important to note that one biological attribute alone is not sufficient to establish racial grouping. The term race would indicate a group of people who are biologically characterised by a certain concentration of inherited genes and physical attributes. In view of this. racial discrimination is the practice which, either in interpersonal relationships or on institutional and statutory levels (or both). deliberately withholds rights, privileges and responsibilities from people on the basis of their racial attributes or even denies those rights, privileges and responsibilities that are due to them as human beings (Esterhuyse 1981: 1-2).
Racial discrimination in the South African context. therefore. meant the denial of rights, privileges and responsibilities to the majority population of Black people just because they were black. The Boers had developed this attitude of discriminating against Black people when they trekked northwards. in the 1830·s. They had written it into the constitution. the Transvaal. South Africa which proclaimed. "There shall be no equality in the State or Church between White and black" (OliveI' and Atmore 1981: 188).
Inequality was then practised in the Church and in the politics of the country in South Africa. The state of separating the nation on the basis of colour was called apartheid.
According to the history of this country. Apartheid can be divided into three phases.
This is what Omer-Cooper calls ..the three phases of apartheid". We shall briefly look at these three phases of apartheid in South Africa. Between 1948. when the Nationalist Party came into power. and 1984. the system of apartheid developed through the three definable phases.
3.6.1 Baaskaap Apartheid
The tirst phase began in 1948 and lasted till 1961 when South Africa became a Republic, receiving its independence from Great Britain. The first phase called the classical or Baaskaap. (White supremacy) apartheid lasted from 1948 to the end of 1950·s.
Esterhuyse calls this phase ..the separate phase or alternatively. the 'surgical" phase (Esterhuyse 1981 :47). It was a period in which the ationalist Party put its original
ideas into legislative form. The ational Party inherited a situation in which there had been social. economic and even political intermingling between the different population groups. It may be said that. this phase reached its climax in 1961 \vith the achievement of Afrikaner nationalists' most cherished dream. the transformation of South Africa into an Afrikaner-ruled republic.
The strict racial segregation and social stratification assisted Afrikaners to consolidate their political control of 'white" South Africa. The economic situation of poor Afrikaners within the White society was improved. The Afrikaner share of the business world was also expanded and the Afrikaner language and culture was protected and given a higher status in national life in South Africa. To make sure that they had power under their control. South Africa was constitutionally transformed into a republic, free from allegiance to the British Powers.
3.6.2 Separate Development
]n this period the fundamental basis of the apartheid policy was beginning to form. The main reasons for this were the major changes which had taken place and were taking place in the wider world since 1948. The changing economy of South Africa and the need to defuse growing African militancy strengthened Apartheid. The liberation of Mozambique and Angola, the wide spread African strike action on the industrial front.
massive violent protests within the African townships and the beginning of ANC and PAC armed wings within and without South Africa on a significant scale. played a major role in this phase.
During this phase, emphasis switched from 'surgery' and separation to 'development".
This phase saw the realisation that. the separated racial groups should be placed on the road to self-reliance on economic. social and political levels. Something important to note during this phase. with respect to the out come. was the concept of the development of the Bantustans or homelands and their ultimate so called 'independence". In this second phase, the idea of separate but equal opportunities and institutions such as universities. for other population groups was first introduced (Esterhuyse 1981:47). In
introducing the promotion of Buntu Self-Government Bill to parliament in 1959. Or Hendrick Verwoerd argued that. although this was not what White South Africans would have liked, they would have to accept that the Bantustans must be allowed to develop as fully fledged states. which might eventually become fully independent nations and members of the United Nations. He fUl1her said that. this would involve breaking up the territory of South Africa into a White state and a number of Black states.