Apartheid In Africa

Introduction

This research task aims to investigate the extent to which apartheid was economically unsustainable. The research will be based on sources with reference to the effect international divestments and economic sanctions placed on South Africa, as well as the internal structure of the apartheid system and it’s impact on the South African economy.

Apartheid was set up in a way where black labour was used to exploit the resources of the country, which included mineral resources such as diamonds, gold, coal and iron ore; as well as agricultural resources such as fruits, grains and maize. To give legal effect to this exploitation of labour, the apartheid system created a job reservation system to favour the white minority and to subject

The black educational system was designed to keep them as labourers, with reference to the 1956 Bantu Education Act. Which it’s stated intention was given by apartheid Prime Minister Werwood: “there is no place for [the Bantu] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour”. The white educational system gave greater opportunities for white children to receive a modern education. Consequently, by the 1970’s, younger white workers were moving into skilled positions resulting in a shortage of semi-skilled and skilled labour. This created a conundrum for the apartheid economy because job reservation and influx control created a shortage of labour (unskilled and skilled), while there was large unemployment in the black population, particularly in the homelands. Influx control worked on the principle that the indigenous African population could only own land in the homelands representing 13% of the land area of South Africa. Economic Sustainability

“Economic sustainability is the ability of an economy to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely” (http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/EconomicSustainability.htm), as there are fluctuating economic cycles, a sustainable economy would be able to withstand the down cycles and benefit from the up cycles.

Economic sustainability relies on the growth of economy. It has the potential to create better living

The source also conveys the relationships that the Apartheid Government had with other countries and their various political systems. The source shows the success of the sanctions and the challenges faced, with regards to sanctions not having a direct and instantaneous effect.

Evaluation

The origin of the source is from Yale University, written by Phillip. I. Levy. The source is from February 1999. The source is current because it was written after the democratic elections in South Africa. Therefore the source is a source from post-Apartheid. The origin of the source limits the information given, with regards to not having the point of view of someone experiencing Apartheid, but it gives a broader view of Apartheid because of the advantage of experiencing the government during and after Apartheid. It also limits the point of view of how sanctions were affected by the fall of the communist bloc, as well as the limitation of a clear response from President Botha towards the economic