11. ANALYSE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACT OF UMONONTHE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA

11. ANALYSE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ACT OF UMONONTHE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Approach
A student should use the terms to show the negative and positive importance of the act of-union to the British, Boers and Africans.
Background to the question
1. It was signed on 31 a May 1910 between Botha and Smuts his deputy with the British representatives.
2. It healed the hostilities and bridged the gap between the British and Boers since the Great Trek.
3. It was a betrayal of the Africans by the British, i.e. the British finally accepted the Boers racial policies.
4. It was a benefit to the two white races at the expense of the Africans.
5. It led to equal sharing of the republics i.e. the Boers were to control Transvaal and Orange Free State while the British were to control cape colony and Natal.
6. The Africans lost their independence on their own land,
7. Africans were thrown into reserves (Bantustans) or shanty towns.
8. The two white races were put on equal footing through the language clause.ie English and Dutch.
9. The land act (1913) and the mineral act (1911) were later signed. This led to the exploitation of African resources.
10. It curtailed the Indian and Asian participation in South African politics and owning land.
11. It marked the beginning of the apartheid rule in the history of S.Africa.
12. It laid ground for the development of nationalism as evident in the rise of A.N.C (African national congress) by Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Luthuli, and Govan Mbeki.
13. Excluded the present by Swaziland and Lesotho making them escape apartheid in South Africa
14. The signing of the treaty led to African nationalism,
15. It led to the influx of Europeans to South Africa especially the British.
16. Economic development was boosted as a bigger market of 6,000,000 people was created. However this only benefited the whites.
17. It emphasized and promoted Boer and English language and not the African languages.
18. It was a peace tool i.e. reduced the long held hostility between the Dutch and the British
19. It made South Africa become very strong compared to her neighbours.
20. It restricted the employment of Africans as unskilled workers. It is important to note that the signing of the act of union dictated the flow of events in South Africa.
21. It prevented any further African rebellion against the whites as the union formed its own police and defence forces which suppressed African opposition.