South African Identity

Recently my father asked me what I was studying in school. I told him I am studying Africa, and my main focus is South Africa. He responded, “South Africa. Apartheid, war, and Mandela.” While it is an extreme summary of events, it seems to be the common understanding of South Africa. In all honesty, though brief, it is a solid foundation from which to begin understanding modern South Africa. Perhaps nothing in recent South African history stands out more than apartheid and the South African Border War.

"Scope of Operations in South African Border War"
By GhePeU - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2720195

In 1915, Germany still held South-West Africa as a territory. South Africa was called upon to support the Allies in changing this. Upon the defeat of the Germans, South Africa occupied the German colony and had a mandate from the League of Nations to police the colony. After the disbanding of the League of Nations, the Prime Minister of South Africa, Jan Smuts, hoped to take control of the territory and “formally applied to the successor United Nations in 1946 for this, but South Africa's request was refused because of its failure to consult with the indigenous peoples.”[1] Instead, the United Nations would call for an outside monitoring program in the region by global authorities. South Africa would refuse. Smuts was disappointed because he wanted to expand South Africa. He would further be disappointed when his party would lose the coming elections. Apartheid, a racial driven legal system, would then take hold of South Africa (interesting, considering whites, to this day, are the extreme minority). This meant that South-Western Africa, still being held onto by a stubborn South Africa, would feel the burden of racist government. The result was insurgency groups of freedom fighters.

By1966 skirmishes were increasing and all out guerrilla warfare was underway. By 1974 South Africa would no longer merely be policing South-West Africa but would have a military force there. This would become the an international war known as the South African Border (Bush) War that would last until 1989. In fact:

The war did not end due to one force totally defeating the opposing force. However, the large conventional battles of the war … clearly showed the Cuban and Russian backed [forces] could not be defeated on the battlefield without paying a very high price. This realization and global political factors made both sides realize that a negotiated settlement was the only solution.[2]

By 1994 Namibia was free of South African influence. Furthermore, apartheid was gone and Nelson Mandela was elected as president of South Africa. He worked toward racial unity and helped shape a more tolerant South Africa.

"South African Military Convoy in Africa"
By Sam van den Berg - Image courtesy of Sam van den Berg, from Port Elizabeth, CC BY 2.5 za, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38327638

            In short, South Africa tried to expand its borders after World War II due to a League of Nations mandate made after World War I. Despite being called to leave South-West Africa, South Africa continued its policing. This unwanted policing coupled with the racially charged apartheid form of legal system would lead to a 23 year war. In the end, South-West Africa would be free and South Africa would make huge political strides through open, democratic, racial unbiased elections.

---

[1]             https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Border_War

[2]             https://sites.google.com/site/sabushwarsite/overview