Where It All Began

Land grabs in South Africa – justice or racist?

 

So what’s the story behind the invasions taking place in South Africa?

Perhaps the most highly controversial issue in South Africa, and arguably the issue with the most potential to destablise the entire country, is the land issue. It’s not only highly controversial, it’s also high complex so we’re going to have to split this post into several parts.

Today, the historical situation.

Contrary to popular belief, even amongst South Africans, very few people actually lived within the borders of modern-day South Africa right up until the 14th century. Xhosas, Zulus, Sothos, Afrikaaners, British, Indians, Chinese all arrived in South Africa after 1500.

To the north, the ancestors of the Ndebele had a civilisation along the southern side of the Limpopo River. To the south, the San people lived and to the east, other hunter-gatherer groups now called Strandlopers.

In short, trying to decide who the land ‘belongs’ to or who was here first is ultimately a fool’s errand (as it is in so many other conflicts around land across the world).

Tomorrow, the situation leading up to 1994.