Tag: The  Struggle for Majority  Rule and Democratisation in South Africa

The Dutch led by Jan van Riebeck landed at the Cape in 1652 and established a half way station to India that would supply passing ships with fresh water, vegetables and meat. It was meant to be a temporary settlement but ended up being permanent. African ethnic  groups  like  the  Khoisan,  Xhosa, Zulu, Tswana, Sotho and Pedi were later conquered, lost their sovereignty and incorporated into new political arrangements known as colonies such as Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal and Orange Free State. The British conquered the Dutch in 1806 and took over the Cape. In 1910 the four colonies were joined together to form the Union of South Africa.