Results of the scramble for and partition of South Africa

·         Results of the scramble for and partition of South Africa

·         The results were positive and negative;

·         This period was one of the most momentous episodes in its history with far reaching results - as it proved to be blessing as well as it also adversely affected the people - the partition had both bad and good results to which we turn our attention;

·         It brought the end (for along time) the long period of independence of South African states - South Africa, the High Commissioner Territories, Namibia and Rhodesia.

·         The imposition and foreign domination was so humiliating and irksome that it was resisted by the nationalists since the earliest to 1990's.

·         European occupation was accompanied by the elimination of African rulers and leaders y death, deportation or replacement with stooges who cooperated with the whites.

·         Breakdown of law and order, which the imperialists were forced to restore by more killings of the people in the name of pacification.

·         Triumph of Afrikaner nationalism, establishment of their states in the north of the cape and this laid ground for Apartheid policy.

·         The Europeans ignored ethnic groupings while occupying spheres of influence among themselves.

·         Atrocities committed upon the African population during the period of conquest definitely disorganized African social life and led to depopulation in many areas.

·         The superiority of European weapons of warfare such as the Maxim gun inspired Africans with profound respect for the European and all that they stood for this was vivid for armed struggle to uproot alien domination and the fight for the human rights.

·         The partition saw emerging races in South Africa like the lndians, the coloreds and the 'whites' (Boers and British). Laid ground or Apartheid of separate development of races in South Africa, Namibia and other areas of whites. Loyalty shifted from traditional chiefs to the Europeans.

·         A great deal of what was good in African culture like respect of truth, traditional values and honesty, respect of tribal law and custom was supervised by the bad aspects of European character.

·         There was economic injustices and cruelty meted out to the African population by the imperialist powers like ruthless exploitation of African labour, land resources to benefit the imperial powers.

·         The colonial armies (Boer commanders, militias and the British forces) carried out a systematic destruction of chiefs palaces, villages and towns; as valuable property was destroyed and Africans were impoverished with looting, plunder, murder, among others.

·         Yet on the other side of the coin the partition (colonial rule) demonstrated some significance in South Africa, which should not be underestimated.

·         It helped the bringing to an era of tribal wars of fear and insecurity that had plagued many communities for long like the M’fecane. For many it was indeed the beginning of anew lease of happy life.

·         Many African tribes that had long remained separate and hostile to one another were brought together under one govemance by the colonial powers - whether German, British or the Boers. Modem states of Namibia, Zambia, Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe are products of the partition of the area.

·         It lay to rest the evil ghost of internal slave trade and slavery.

·         South Africa gained enormous in the fields of health and education. The Europeans brought scientific methods of healing and preventing diseases through hospitals and dispensaries - inoculation and vaccination. The adoption of Dutch and English, German helped the people to - communicate with other people in 'a civilized' world and fellow people in South Africa.

·         Establishment and development of towns and or urban communities like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Kimberly, Durban, Windhoek, Gaborone, Pretoria, Lourenco Marques, Salisbury. The impact of these towns and many others on the political, social and economic life was indeed tremendous.

·         Facilitated the movement of colonial troops, officials and traders' goods - with developed transport and communication by building railway, roads and ports.

·         In the development of Agriculture, the colonial powers, perhaps for selfish economic reasons contributed immensely by promoting production of cash crops and livestock rearing.

·         The development of transport and promotion of agriculture led and increased trade internally and overseas with Europe and the world. Surely, this meant increased prosperity and higher standard of living for the people of the region.

·         The development of mining industry led to increased prosperity - export rose in diamonds and gold and other benefits. South Africa was formally integrated in the world capitalist system - monopolies, free market and trade, protectionism,

·         colonial governments also introduced the coinage system as currency; which replaced barter system in iron bars, cowries.

·         The colonial governments also introduced the coinage system and paper money as currency, which replaced the barter system of trade.

·         The colonial system and whites at large made no effort to establish secondary industries, which made the region continue to be the market for the European manufactured goods, interests.

·         The mining industry also remained the exclusive monopoly of European mining combines. Thus the colonial period was a period of economic exploration of South Africa at large, though there were some gains, which indeed were not colonial designs but by accident