Flag-Map of South Africa, Used under BY SA 3.0.
The Business of South Africa: Overview 1910-1950
Main Businesses:
Agriculture & Mining
The top three exports of Africa's natural resources during this time were:
1. Gold
2. Diamond
3. Platinum
The Agriculture industry produced products such as:
-Corn
-Fruit
-Poultry
-Wheat
-Beef
-& Dairy
Main Languages Spoken:
English and Afrikaans
From 1910-1950, the economy of South Africa was plagued with inequality, segregation, and racism. This was especially apparent in the majority of businesses and political interests that influenced the majority of South Africa.
In 1909, formal racial segregation was introduced with the South Africa Act which created the Union of South Africa. This set the tone for the early 1900s, and the businesses, and economy were directly affected by the events that followed as they limited and segregated races of citizens.
Although there was a black majority in Africa, the white people were becoming more and more oppressive to the majority. This can be seen in the Mines and Works Act of 1911, which had good intentions initially but was amended in 1912 to include a "Color Bar" which prevented blacks from competing for certain high skill jobs. This was followed in 1913 by the Natives Land act, which segregated land ownership and pushed for land dispossession, meaning whites could not buy land from natives and natives could not buy from whites. According to South Africa History Online, "the 1913 Natives' Land Act codified those injustices by preserving some 87% of the Union's land for the exclusive use of the white minority and a paltry 13% for use by African farmers, some 80% of the population." (South African History Online, 2011).
The effects of this act caused chaos, overcrowding, and poverty. Gandhi notably protested this act with a unified protest march. Continued neglect and segregation paved the way for the first African trade union, and the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union was formed in 1918 to counter these injustices.
Later, in 1923, the Natives Urban Areas Act was passed, which deemed urban areas of South Africa white only, while requiring Africans to carry passes at all times that permitted them in the urban areas. This pass law divided the population even further.
In 1927, the Immorality Act was passed to prohibit sexual relations between a white "European" person and a "Native" black person. The penalty for violating this act was up to five years in prison for men, and four years for women. This influenced all interactions, business, and personal that took place between races of South Africans.
The same year brought about the so-called "Hostility Law" or Native Administration Act of 1927, which allowed the Governor of South Africa to banish a native to wherever he deemed fit. This was the first of many pieces of legislation that explicitly separated the legal system based on race.
In 1930, the Women's Enfranchisement Act gave ONLY WHITE women age 21 or older the right to vote and run for positions in office. In addition to empowering ONLY WHITE women, this act caused the number of white voters to double, which in turn, exponentially diluted the already limited voting power of non-white people.
Six years later, in 1936, the Native Trust and Land Act passed to reorganize agriculture and finally was attempted to give back a portion of the land to the Native Population.
For one final economic blow to this already drastically separated population, the Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act of 1946 confined Asian-owned personal and business property to clearly defined areas. It also permitted Asians from purchasing any land that was not already owned by Asians before 1946.
These legislative acts, economic changes, and much more in between would lead to the racial, rampant segregation and discrimination that would become the Apartheid in South Africa taking place from 1948-1991.
Agriculture & Mining
The top three exports of Africa's natural resources during this time were:
1. Gold
2. Diamond
3. Platinum
The Agriculture industry produced products such as:
-Corn
-Fruit
-Poultry
-Wheat
-Beef
-& Dairy
Main Languages Spoken:
English and Afrikaans
From 1910-1950, the economy of South Africa was plagued with inequality, segregation, and racism. This was especially apparent in the majority of businesses and political interests that influenced the majority of South Africa.
In 1909, formal racial segregation was introduced with the South Africa Act which created the Union of South Africa. This set the tone for the early 1900s, and the businesses, and economy were directly affected by the events that followed as they limited and segregated races of citizens.
Although there was a black majority in Africa, the white people were becoming more and more oppressive to the majority. This can be seen in the Mines and Works Act of 1911, which had good intentions initially but was amended in 1912 to include a "Color Bar" which prevented blacks from competing for certain high skill jobs. This was followed in 1913 by the Natives Land act, which segregated land ownership and pushed for land dispossession, meaning whites could not buy land from natives and natives could not buy from whites. According to South Africa History Online, "the 1913 Natives' Land Act codified those injustices by preserving some 87% of the Union's land for the exclusive use of the white minority and a paltry 13% for use by African farmers, some 80% of the population." (South African History Online, 2011).
The effects of this act caused chaos, overcrowding, and poverty. Gandhi notably protested this act with a unified protest march. Continued neglect and segregation paved the way for the first African trade union, and the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union was formed in 1918 to counter these injustices.
Later, in 1923, the Natives Urban Areas Act was passed, which deemed urban areas of South Africa white only, while requiring Africans to carry passes at all times that permitted them in the urban areas. This pass law divided the population even further.
In 1927, the Immorality Act was passed to prohibit sexual relations between a white "European" person and a "Native" black person. The penalty for violating this act was up to five years in prison for men, and four years for women. This influenced all interactions, business, and personal that took place between races of South Africans.
The same year brought about the so-called "Hostility Law" or Native Administration Act of 1927, which allowed the Governor of South Africa to banish a native to wherever he deemed fit. This was the first of many pieces of legislation that explicitly separated the legal system based on race.
In 1930, the Women's Enfranchisement Act gave ONLY WHITE women age 21 or older the right to vote and run for positions in office. In addition to empowering ONLY WHITE women, this act caused the number of white voters to double, which in turn, exponentially diluted the already limited voting power of non-white people.
Six years later, in 1936, the Native Trust and Land Act passed to reorganize agriculture and finally was attempted to give back a portion of the land to the Native Population.
For one final economic blow to this already drastically separated population, the Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act of 1946 confined Asian-owned personal and business property to clearly defined areas. It also permitted Asians from purchasing any land that was not already owned by Asians before 1946.
These legislative acts, economic changes, and much more in between would lead to the racial, rampant segregation and discrimination that would become the Apartheid in South Africa taking place from 1948-1991.
Union of South Africa leads to Transportation Innovation
Africa from 1910-1950
Map of the provinces of South Africa 1910-1976, By Htonl used under CC BY-SA 3.0
Map of the provinces of South Africa 1910-1976, By Htonl used under CC BY-SA 3.0
The Union of South Africa was finalized on May 31st, 1910. This included the four colonies of The Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River, and Transvaal. The Union of South Africa kept the Union under the rule of the British and sent a Governor-General to represent South Africa. A few years after, in 1916, the railway systems of each colony had become unified by the Central South African Railways, the Cape Government Railways, and the Natal Government Railways all became one system by an act of parliament. This system became the South African Railways and Harbours or SAR&H. In the 1920s, South Africa also began to assemble motor vehicles and trucks.
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Railways, trams, boats, & other transportation spread even further in the 1920s - 1930sIn the 1930s, a major business in South Africa was transportation, and the industry was evolving. Major Railway arteries were gaining popularity along with trams and cars. Small businesses gained traction in local markets and sold food, flowers, and other good in a meeting place that could also offer entertainment such as music. These methods of transportation boosted the small businesses in early South Africa.
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Mining in South Africa: Minerals, Diamonds, & the Gold Rush
Mining in South Africa was one of the most popular industries. Even before 1910, mining was very prominent in South African Culture, with gold and minerals mining starting in the 1800s. As laws were passed limiting the rights and freedoms of blacks, the mining business of wealthy non-black South Africans grew while inexpensive labor became easier to source as the native population was forced to be the actual miners. Since mining produces the major exports in the country of South Africa, this business was vital to their economic stability and trade with foreign countries.
Gold Panning, used under CC BY SA 3.o.
Gold Rush in the 1920s
Although this rush for gold started in the 1880s, and legislation began in the 1900s, Gold as an export remained a prominent part of South Africa's economy for many years to come. In the 1920s, South Africa was filled with low wage black African miners because of the Gold Rush and the segregating legislation that divided its population.
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by South African Tourism, used under CC BY 4.0
Works Cited:
Gold Rush In South Africa (1920-1929). (2014, April 13). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7D0mQcBV8c
Trip by rail in South Africa, 1920's -- Film 1006 (2013, May 3). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbwMkb9g_MA
1900 Gold and Diamond Mines of South Africa 220844-11 | Footage Farm (2012, June 3). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-RQomPTFM
Flag Map of South Africa (2010, March 10). Flag-map of South Africa. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag-map_of_South_Africa.svg
Map of South Africa (1992). Flag of South Africa. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_South_Africa.svg
Map of the provinces of South Africa 1910-1976 (2011, March 11). Map of South Africa showing the provinces as they were from 1910 to 1976. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_provinces_of_South_Africa_1910-1976_with_English_labels.svg
Gold panning at Bonanza Creek (2005, August 30). Gold Panning. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gold_panning_at_Bonanza_Creek.JPG
Richardson, P., & Van Helten, J. (1984). The Development of the South African Gold-Mining Industry, 1895-1918. The Economic History Review, 37(3), new series, 319-340. doi:10.2307/2597284
South African Tourism. (2017). A brief history of mining in South Africa. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-a-brief-history-of-mining-in-south-africa
South Africa. (2016). In K. Ellicott (Ed.), Countries of the World and Their Leaders Yearbook 2016 (Vol. 2, pp. 2203-2221). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.butler.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3622300183/GIC?u=butleru&xid=70d3971f
Feinberg, H. M. (2006). Africa, Natives Land Act. In J. J. McCusker (Ed.), History of World Trade Since 1450 (Vol. 1, pp. 5-7). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.butler.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3447600016/WHIC?u=butleru&xid=c77b04b8
South African History Online. (2011, March 31). South Africa in the 1900s (1900-1917). Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/south-africa-1900s-1900-1917
Gold Rush In South Africa (1920-1929). (2014, April 13). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7D0mQcBV8c
Trip by rail in South Africa, 1920's -- Film 1006 (2013, May 3). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbwMkb9g_MA
1900 Gold and Diamond Mines of South Africa 220844-11 | Footage Farm (2012, June 3). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-RQomPTFM
Flag Map of South Africa (2010, March 10). Flag-map of South Africa. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag-map_of_South_Africa.svg
Map of South Africa (1992). Flag of South Africa. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_South_Africa.svg
Map of the provinces of South Africa 1910-1976 (2011, March 11). Map of South Africa showing the provinces as they were from 1910 to 1976. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_provinces_of_South_Africa_1910-1976_with_English_labels.svg
Gold panning at Bonanza Creek (2005, August 30). Gold Panning. Retrieved April 17, 2017, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gold_panning_at_Bonanza_Creek.JPG
Richardson, P., & Van Helten, J. (1984). The Development of the South African Gold-Mining Industry, 1895-1918. The Economic History Review, 37(3), new series, 319-340. doi:10.2307/2597284
South African Tourism. (2017). A brief history of mining in South Africa. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-a-brief-history-of-mining-in-south-africa
South Africa. (2016). In K. Ellicott (Ed.), Countries of the World and Their Leaders Yearbook 2016 (Vol. 2, pp. 2203-2221). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.butler.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3622300183/GIC?u=butleru&xid=70d3971f
Feinberg, H. M. (2006). Africa, Natives Land Act. In J. J. McCusker (Ed.), History of World Trade Since 1450 (Vol. 1, pp. 5-7). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.butler.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3447600016/WHIC?u=butleru&xid=c77b04b8
South African History Online. (2011, March 31). South Africa in the 1900s (1900-1917). Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/south-africa-1900s-1900-1917