What does South Africa border on? Southern African countries

South Africa.

The name of the country is determined by the geographical location of the country.

Area of ​​South Africa. 1221000 km2.

Population of South Africa. 46,000 thousand people

Administrative divisions of South Africa. The state is divided into 9 provinces.

Form of government of South Africa. Republic.

Head of State of South Africa. The president.

Supreme legislative body of South Africa. Bicameral Parliament - National Assembly and National Council provincial

Supreme executive body of South Africa. Government.

Ethnic composition of South Africa. 77% are Africans, 12% are Europeans and their descendants, 11% are from Asian descent.

South African currency. Rand = 100 cents.

Climate of South Africa. 20 can be traced on the territory of the state. The region of Natal province is characterized by elevated temperatures, which is typical for tropical hot temperatures. The Cape Town area is characterized by dry, hot summers and mild winters. The rest of the state has a typical climate. The climate in South Africa is more favorable than in other countries located at the same latitudes - this is explained by the sufficient altitude above sea level and the proximity of ocean currents. the most falls in the east (1000-2000 mm per year), the least in the east (less than 100 mm).

Flora of South Africa. Vegetable world South Africa is rich - at least 20,000 plant species grow here. Many flowers that are now common in Russia were once exported from here - among them geranium, gladiolus, and narcissus. The Cape Town area is home to more than 5,000 plant species that do not grow anywhere else in the world. A silver tree has been preserved, the flower of which is national symbol SOUTH AFRICA. The main part of the country is .

Fauna of South Africa. Among the representatives of the animal world of South Africa are elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, lion, giraffe, cheetah, aardvark, antelope, hyena, golden mole, tarsier, different kinds birds. and lakes. Largest rivers- And . Attractions. In Cape Town - the Castle of Good Hope, the South African Museum, which displays finds from archaeological excavations in the surrounding area and examples of Bushmen rock art.

Useful information for tourists

Tips in a restaurant make up 10-12% of the total cost of the order (including drinks), porter services - from 2 to 5 rands per piece of luggage, guide-driver - 15-20 rands per person per day of work. No vaccinations are required, unless you are planning a trip to the northeastern regions (areas where the malaria mosquito spreads). Along with taking anti-malarial drugs, it is recommended to wear long sleeves and use insecticides. Malaria mosquitoes are most active at dusk. Air conditioning and fans also reduce the risk of mosquito bites.

General information about the Republic of South Africa

The official name is The Republic of South Africa.

Located in southern Africa. Area 1219.9 thousand km2. Population 43.7 million people. (2002, evaluation). Official languages ​​- 11 languages. The capital is Pretoria (800 thousand people, 2001). Public holiday - Freedom Day on April 27 (since 1994). The monetary unit is the rand.

Member 52 international organizations, including the UN (since 1946), AU (since 2000), SADC (since 1994).

Geography of the Republic of South Africa

Located between 16°24′ and 31° east longitude and 22° and 34°42′ south latitude; in the south it is washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans. In the west, the cold Benguela Current approaches the shores, and in the east, the warm Mozambique Current. Coastline unbroken, but there are very convenient bays. It borders Namibia in the northwest, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north, and Mozambique and Swaziland in the northeast. Inside South Africa there is an enclave - the kingdom of Lesotho.

Most of the territory is a hilly plateau, bordered in the east by the Drakensberg Mountains, up to 3000 m high, and in the south by the Cape Mountains, up to 2000 m high. The highest point is Mount Nyesuti (3408 m) in the Drakensberg Mountains. In the northwest, the plateau decreases and becomes the low-lying Kalahari Desert. The Drakensberg Mountains drop steeply to the Indian Ocean (Great Escarpment). Between

The coastal lowland extends between them and the ocean, which in the south passes into the Great Karoo depression, separating the Drakensberg Mountains from the Cape.

The main rivers of South Africa originate in the Drakensberg Mountains. The longest is the Orange River (length - 1860 km, and with the Vaal tributary 2200 km), flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. It is not navigable, its mouth sometimes dries up. The rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean are not very long, but deep. The largest of them are the Tugela, Great Fish, and tributaries of the Limpopo. The Limpopo itself flows along the border with Zimbabwe.

The soils are varied and mostly fertile: red-brown, black, gray-brown, sandy, alluvial, etc.

Vegetation north of 32° south latitude - different types savannah (shrub, steppe, desert). Along the banks of the rivers there are preserved gallery rainforests. In the south of the country there are subtropical forests and evergreen shrubs, and in the northwest there is desert flora. Plant species are varied: baobabs, acacias, ironwood, aromatic wood, boxwood, etc. Eucalyptus and American pine predominate in artificial plantings.

Animal world. Large animals have been almost exterminated; the South African endemics - the black-maned lion and the quagga zebra - have disappeared from the face of the earth. Typically African fauna has been preserved only in nature reserves, the largest of which is the Kruger National Park. The world of insects (termites, tsetse flies) and birds (swallows from Russia winter here) is very diverse.

The subsoil is exceptionally rich in minerals. South Africa ranks 1st in the world in reserves (t, % of world reserves): manganese ore (12.2 billion, 82%), chromites (3.3 billion, 56%), platinum and platinum group metals (31 thousand, 69 %), gold (33.7 thousand, 40%), vanadium ore (14 million, 29%), aluminosilicates (37%), fluorite (47.5 million), corundum (104 million), asbestos (4.3 million), some rare earth elements, as well as 1st place in Africa in reserves of coal (115 billion tons), uranium oxide, iron ore (9.5 billion tons), titanium (40 million tons), antimony (297 thousand tons) ), lead (8.5 million tons), zinc (15.4 million tons), nickel (5.9 million tons), apatite (160 million tons). There are significant deposits of diamonds (125 million carats of jewelry diamonds), copper, tin, magnesite, silver, aluminum and other minerals. A natural gas field has been discovered on the shelf. South Africa has almost everything except oil.

The climate is subtropical and tropical only in the far north. Average temperatures in the summer months are + 18°-27°C, and in the winter months + 7°-15°C. Temperature contrasts are explained by differences in latitude, the influence of warm and cold ocean currents, and differences in altitude above sea level. Precipitation is unevenly distributed. In deserts, no more than 100 mm falls per year, and on the coastal strip of the Indian Ocean up to 2000 mm.

Population of South Africa

In 1984-2002 the population increased by 30%. Population growth rate in the 1980s amounted to 2.9%, but then began to gradually decline, and at the end. 1990s fell sharply; in 2002, experts estimated them from 0.02 to 1.04% due to the AIDS pandemic. Fertility rate 20.63%, mortality 18.86%, infant mortality 61.78 people. per 1000 newborns (2002).

Average life expectancy (2002) 45.43 years (women - 45.68, men - 45.19). Sex and age structure (2002): 0-14 years - 31.6% (6,943,761 men and 6,849,745 women), 15-64 years - 63.4% (respectively 13,377,011 and 14,300,850), 65 years and older - 5% (816,222 and 1,360,069). In 2002, 50% of the population lived in cities and towns. Literacy of the population is 85.5%. Retirement age 65 years.

South Africa is a multiracial state. The four main races are Africans (77%), whites (10.7%), Asians (2.6%), Khoikoin - Bushmen and Hottentots (several thousand). In addition, a special ethnic group is made up of mestizos - “colored” (8.8%). Africans are divided into many ethnic communities, the largest of them: Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Swazi, Ndebele, Pedi, Tsonga, Venda. The two main ethnic groups of Europeans are Afrikaners (descendants of settlers from Holland and France) and the English-speaking population. The main population of Asian origin is Indian, but there are also Malays and Chinese. The most common languages ​​are English, Afrikaans (the language of the Afrikaners) and the languages ​​of the above-mentioned African ethnic groups.

More than 80% of the population profess Christianity. Other religions are Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and traditional African religions.

History of the Republic of South Africa

Archeology provides evidence of settlement in southern Africa since Paleolithic times. In the beginning. 1st millennium AD throughout South Africa lived the peoples of the Khoiko race - the Bushmen and Hottentots. In the 1st millennium AD Bantu tribes invaded from the north. Waves of migration flows followed one after another, and by the 17th century. The ancestors of the current Suto and Nguni language families already lived in southern Africa. In 1652, the colonization of the country by Europeans began. The Dutch East India Company founded a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, which eventually became Cape Town. Gradually expanding the borders of the colony, which became known as the Cape, the Dutch seized the lands of the Hottentots, creating slave farms. Already in the 18th century. Dutch people mixed with emigrants from other European countries, began to call themselves Boers, and in the 20th century. - Afrikaners. In the 1770s. The Boers annexed the lands of the Xhosa tribes (“Kaffir Wars”).

During Napoleonic wars The Cape Colony passed into British hands. The British authorities continued colonial expansion. The threat of European invasion stimulated the unification of small tribes in the territories neighboring the Cape Colony. The most powerful of them was the Zulu state, created in 1816 by the leader Chaka.

In the 1830s. Relations between the authorities of the Cape Colony and the Boers became complicated. In 1834, a law was passed abolishing slavery, on which the Boer economy was based. They began to gather in armed groups and leave the colony, seizing the land of African tribes. The Zulu put up especially strong resistance, but in 1838 they were defeated, and the Boer Republic of Natal was founded on part of the Zulu territory. Great Britain feared the Boers would reach the Indian Ocean and annexed Natal in 1843. The Boers who settled north of the Cape Colony found themselves outside British power. In the 1850s they created two republics - the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic of South Africa. Having recognized the Boer states, Great Britain directed its efforts to conquer African peoples. K con. 19th century the entire territory of present-day South Africa came under the rule of the British crown, and the Boer republics were surrounded on all sides English possessions. Their independence was ended during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902.

In 1910, Great Britain united the Cape Colony and Natal with the former Boer republics into the Union of South Africa (SAA), which was granted dominion rights. Public life in the dominion was based on the principles of racism. Africans were deprived of political and social rights. In 1912 they created an organization that soon became known as the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC). He set as his goal the fight against racial discrimination and for equal rights for the indigenous population.

In World War I, South Africa took the side of Great Britain and after its end received a League of Nations mandate to govern the German Empire. South West Africa(Namibia). The period between the two world wars was characterized by legislation that increased social discrimination against non-white people.

In World War II, South Africa took part on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition. The changes that occurred in the world after the war did not affect the internal politics of the ruling circles of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party came to power, proclaiming racism as the official ideology of the state, which became known as apartheid. The ultimate goal apartheid proclaimed the territorial division of the population of South Africa according to racial groups, in which the white minority would receive 87% of the entire territory of the country, and only 13% to the Africans. Coloreds and Indians were given reservations within “white” South Africa. Putting the doctrine of apartheid into practice, the authorities methodically pursued policies aimed at increasing the oppression of the non-white population. A pass system was introduced to control the movement of Africans. The non-white population led an active struggle against apartheid, organizing strikes, demonstrations, civil disobedience campaigns, burning passes, etc. In 1955, the ANC and progressive organizations of the colored Indian and white population convened the Congress of Peoples, which adopted the Freedom Charter - a program for the struggle for a democratic South Africa.

The authorities brutally suppressed the protest movement. It was banned in 1950 Communist Party, and in 1960 - the ANC and other organizations undesirable to the regime. ANC leader Nelson Mandela and several of his associates were sentenced to life imprisonment. Deprived of the possibility of legal forms of resistance, the ANC and the revived Communist Party went underground, and in 1961 they began an armed struggle, creating the militant organization Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). In the same year, South Africa left the British Commonwealth and declared itself a Republic (South Africa). The tense situation in the country caused an uprising of Africans in Soweto, a suburb of Johannesburg, in June 1976, which spread to other cities. A state of emergency was declared, but unrest continued for almost a year.

After the events in Soweto, Western countries introduced the first serious sanctions against South Africa. Internal and external pressure caused a government crisis, and the government began cautious reforms - segregation in transport and sports was abolished, and the activities of African trade unions were legalized. At the same time, security forces gained greater power. A new Constitution was adopted, making South Africa a presidential republic and providing for a three-chamber parliament - for whites, coloreds and Indians. Africans, as before, were excluded from parliamentary elections. Demonstrations began, supported by strikes, against the new Constitution. The usual slogans became: “Down with apartheid!” and “Free Nelson Mandela!”

In March 1985, police shot at a peaceful demonstration. This caused a general strike, which grew into a new uprising of Africans, sweeping almost all the cities of South Africa. Despite the repression (about 25 thousand people were imprisoned), the government was unable to cope with the unrest until the end. 1986.

The crisis of the apartheid regime became obvious to many white South African citizens. In July 1987, the first meeting of the most prominent businessmen and liberal politicians of South Africa with representatives of the ANC took place in Dakar, at which the possibility of a political solution to South African problems was discussed. Despite government opposition, such contacts continued. In 1989, F. de Klerk became President of South Africa and entered into formal negotiations with the ANC about the future state structure South Africa, which later included all political parties. In 1990, Mandela was released after a 27-year sentence, and in 1992 the ban on the activities of the ANC and other organizations was lifted.

On December 20, 1991, a multi-party constitutional conference opened. The search for a compromise ended with the signing in July 1993 of a draft interim Constitution for a five-year transition period, and the country was to be governed by a government of national unity, formed from representatives of the main parties that entered parliament. A permanent Constitution had to be drafted within five years.

The draft interim Constitution was approved by the South African Parliament. In April 1994, the first general elections were held, in which the ANC received 65% of the vote, the National Party - 20% and the Inkatha Freedom Party - 10%. At a parliamentary meeting, Mandela was elected president of South Africa, who formed the Government of National Unity (GNU) from representatives of the three main parties, but soon the National Party left the government. In 1997, the new Constitution of South Africa came into force, preserving the democratic principles of the interim Constitution.

The PNU developed a socio-economic program that included increasing the rate of economic growth and improving the situation of the poorest strata. It has achieved stable economic growth of 2-3% per year (in last years Apartheid growth was almost zero), but some of the goals of the program turned out to be unrealistic (massive construction of cheap housing, reduction of unemployment).

Despite this, the ANC again won the 1999 parliamentary elections, receiving 266 seats out of 400. The new leader of the ANC, Thabo Mbeki, became the President of South Africa (Mandela refused to run for a second presidential term). He continues the course of the previous government, although reality forces him to make some adjustments. He expanded the social and political base of his government to include representatives of all racial and ethnic groups, as well as those political parties that had previously been rivals of the ANC. Particular attention is paid to the fight against poverty and reforms towards economic liberalization.

Government structure and political system of the Republic of South Africa

South Africa is a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of 1997 is in force. Administratively, South Africa is divided into 9 provinces (Eastern Cape, Central Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West). Major cities: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban.

The head of state is the president, elected by the National Assembly for a term of 5 years. The highest legislative body is parliament, which includes

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces. The National Assembly consists of 400 deputies elected according to the principle of proportional representation. Each provincial legislature appoints 6 deputies and nominates the National Assembly to elect 4 more deputies to the National Council of Provinces (NCP). Thus, the NSP includes 90 deputies (10 from each province). Parliament is elected for 5 years.

Provincial legislatures are elected by the people. The legislature elects the provincial prime minister, who forms the government.

The highest executive body is the government, headed by the president. The head of state and government is President T. Mbeki. Speaker of the National Assembly - T. Makwetla.

An outstanding statesman - Nelson Mandela, who devoted his life to the fight against racism in South Africa, the 1st president of democratic South Africa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Available approx. 20 parties, 13 represented in parliament. The most influential: African National Congress, Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party, New National Party, United Democratic Movement.

Leading business organizations: Johannesburg Stock Exchange, South African Business Chamber, Independent Development Trust, South African Foundation.

Public organizations: Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Newspaper Association of South Africa; media independent from the government.

Domestic policy is aimed at maintaining social and political stability. Particular attention is paid to the fight against crime, which has reached dangerous proportions. Recent statistics indicate a decrease in criminal tension in the country. Another problem for the government is growing corruption. Regarding some aspects domestic policy(for example, privatization) tensions arose between the government and the main political allies of the ANC - the Communist Party and trade unions. The most difficult problem for South Africa remains the elimination of the gap, fraught with social explosion, between the living standards of whites and Africans. The government has not yet achieved a significant change in the situation, although some shifts in this direction are evident, for example, the growth of the African “middle class”.

Foreign policy is aimed at developing friendly relations with all countries, but above all with neighboring states and Africa as a whole. Established between South Africa and the Russian Federation a good relationship, rooted in long-standing ties between the USSR and liberation movement. Mandela and Mbeki paid official visits to Moscow. South Africa has achieved improved relations with Western countries, primarily with the United States and Great Britain, although South Africa's friendly ties with countries such as Cuba and Libya cause some irritation among the US ruling circles. Thanks to Mandela, South Africa's international prestige increased. In recent years, Mandela and Mbeki have been elected chairmen of such organizations as the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and the African Union. South Africa has become the venue for major international conferences, including at the level of heads of state.

In Africa, South Africa supported the process of democratization and respect for human rights. In 1995, Mandela condemned the execution of nine oppositionists in Nigeria, and in 1998, South African troops entered Lesotho to restore constitutional order after a military coup. South Africa acted as a peacemaker in civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. President Mbeki was one of the few African leaders to criticize, albeit in rather mild terms, the seizure of white farms in Zimbabwe; he voted to exclude Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth for a year, but opposed international sanctions.

The armed forces include the Army (42,500), Navy (5,200), Air Force (9,600), and Medical Service (5,300). In total, 63,400 people served in 2000. Defense spending (2001) - $1.79 billion (1.6% of GDP).

Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Russian Federation were established in 1992.

Economy of South Africa

South Africa is the most developed country in Africa, but by world standards it is a middle-income country, with a GDP of $412 billion, i.e. $9,400 per capita (2001). GDP growth in 2001 was 2.8%, and in 2002 - 3%. Economically active population 17 million people. (2000, assessment). According to official data, unemployment is 26% (2001), and according to unofficial data - 37%. Inflation 5.8% (2001). Distribution of GDP by economic sector (2001): agriculture 3%, industry 31%, services 66%. GDP by employment: agriculture 8%, industry 13.3%, services 78.7%.

Manufacturing industry is the largest productive sector national economy(18% of GDP). In 2000-02, the cost of its products increased by an average of 3.7% per year. The largest industry is ferrous metallurgy. Five mills, the largest of which in Saldanha Bay cost $1.6 billion and have a capacity of 1.2 million tons of steel per year, began operating at full capacity in the beginning. 2003, owned by ISKOR Corporation. Currently it is completely privatized. Having left ISKOR, the state did not completely withdraw from the iron and steel industry, participating in new mixed enterprises. In 2000, it partnered with a Swiss firm to begin construction of a $1.5 billion rolling-plating plant in Saldanha Bay. South African steel is one of the cheapest in the world, but in 1999 South Africa introduced anti-dumping duties on rolled products from the Russian Federation.

Another important manufacturing industry associated with mining is the production of gold and platinum bullion in refineries. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by factories producing almost all non-ferrous metals - from copper, antimony, chromium to rare earth elements. If the production of some metals, such as copper, in the 1990s. decreased to 100.5 thousand tons due to oversaturation of the world market, the output of others, in particular aluminum, grew. Its current production is approx. 700 thousand tons at low cost (sales price - $750 per 1 ton). In con. 2002 an agreement was reached in principle to build, jointly with a French company, a large aluminum smelter worth $1.6 billion. South Africa ranks 1st in the world in the production of ferrochrome alloys (220 tons, 2000). Three manganese production enterprises are also of global importance.

Most of the metals are exported, but its consumption in the country is growing as a result of the creation of the metalworking, electrical, and automotive industries. Already more than 50% of the parts, incl. Motors at Japanese and German car assembly plants are made in South Africa. In 2000, 266 thousand cars and 130.6 thousand trucks rolled off assembly lines.

The collapse of apartheid gave impetus to the development of the oldest manufacturing industry - food and drink production, especially fruit juices, wine (187 hl, 2000) and beer. In 2002, SAB-Miller became the 2nd largest beer company in the world thanks to expansion into 11 countries in Africa, India, the USA and other countries, incl. in the Russian Federation, where her brand of beer “Golden Barrel” is known.

The textile, clothing, and footwear industries accounted for 7.9% of the total value of manufacturing products in 2002. The clothing industry provides 90% of the domestic market and, in addition, products are exported. However, the footwear industry is experiencing difficulties due to the smuggling of shoes from China and Southeast Asia, going through the countries that are members of the customs union with South Africa and through Mozambique.

The next most important was chemical industry- a relatively new industry, except for the production of explosives for mining. In terms of employment (135 thousand people), it has overtaken light industry. The range of products is very wide: fertilizers, petroleum products, acids, paints, artificial fibers, rubber products, plastics, etc. In South Africa, technology was invented and three plants were built to produce gasoline from coal.

Among other branches of the manufacturing industry, production should be noted (2000 million tons): cellulose - 1.37, paper and cardboard - 2.02, cement - 8.7, sugar - 1.15.

Mining remains an important industry, especially as a source of foreign exchange, although its share of GDP fell to 7.5% by 2002. Gold ranks first in terms of production value. In 1970, its production was a record - more than 1000 tons, but since the 1980s. began to steadily decline and in 2001 was below 500 tons (20% of world production and 50% of South African mineral exports). The main reason is the fall in world prices. In 1999, it dropped to $252.9 per ounce, while the cost of gold in South Africa was St. $300 As a result, most of the mines closed. The rise in prices after the Iraqi crisis stimulates an increase in gold production.

Favorable conditions on the world market contribute to an increase in the production of platinum and platinoids (220 tons in 2000), and other metals. In 2000, ore production was (by metal content, thousand tons): nickel - 38, zinc - 70, vanadium - 17, antimony - 6, cobalt - 0.3, lead concentrate - 81. Iron ore production - 33.1 million tons, copper ore (metal content) - 0.14, chrome ore - 7.1, manganese ore - 3.2, silver ore - 0.15, coal - 225, uranium - 1 million tons. Diamond mining - 10 million carats Many other minerals are also mined.

Agriculture is a successfully developing sector of the economy, but its share in GDP is constantly declining. 12.13% of the territory is suitable for arable land. There is much more area for pastures; the slopes of mountains and hills are used for vineyards and forest plantations. Due to frequent droughts, yield fluctuations are very significant, for example for corn from 2.9 to 13.6 million tons. There are two agricultural sectors: natural, in which most of products are consumed by the producers themselves, and marketed. The main grain crop in both sectors is corn. In 2001, the grain harvest was (million tons): corn - 8; wheat - 2.3; sorghum - 0.2; barley - 0.1. Productivity is low by international standards. The corn harvest per hectare, for example, is 38% of the corresponding figure in the USA.

Along with grains, South Africa provides itself with all basic food products, and exports a significant amount of sugar (cane), vegetables, fruits and berries in a very wide range - from plums, apples and strawberries to bananas, avocados, mangoes, and citrus fruits. In 2001, the harvest of the most significant crops was (thousand tons): sugar cane - 22,000, potatoes - 1681, grapes - 1332, oranges - 1086, sunflower seeds - 677, peanuts - 204, tobacco - 30, apples - 561, tomatoes - 489, pineapples - 137, cotton - 32.

In livestock farming, indicators in recent years have been stable both in terms of livestock numbers and production volumes. The main export product is sheep and goat (mohair) wool. In 2001, the number of livestock (millions): cattle - 13.5, sheep - 28.8, goats - 6.8, pigs - 1.6, chickens - 62. In recent years, ostrich farming has been developing.

Fishing is a rapidly growing industry; fish catch reached 600 thousand tons in 2000. In addition, marine crustaceans and mollusks are caught and artificially bred. The volume of fish caught in inland waters is insignificant, but crocodiles are caught in rivers for the leather industry (26,926, 1999).

South Africa has a dense transport network. All railways and almost all roads belong to the state. Length of trunk lines railways 20,384 km, and taking into account access roads to industrial facilities - 31,400 km (2000). 9900 km of roads are electrified. Over the past two decades, investment in development railway transport were directed mainly to the expansion of railway terminals in ports - the construction of warehouses and access roads to them. In 1999, for the first time in 15 years, the government decided to build a new railway line. Annual traffic volume is approx. 2 billion passenger-km and approximately 110 billion tonne-km. The length of roads is more than 500 thousand km, of which 20.3% are paved (2001). Road transport accounts for 80% of all freight transport in the country. Number of cars - 1.5 million units.

There is no river navigation, but sea transport plays a role vital role in foreign trade. The seven major ports - Durban, Cape Town, East London, Richards Bay, Port Elizabeth, Saldanha Bay and Mossel Bay - are equipped with the latest equipment, specialized in certain cargoes (containers, coal, ore) and are among the most profitable in world. Cargo turnover in 2002 amounted to 110 million tons. The merchant fleet includes 197 ships with a total displacement of 381.9 tons (2001).

Civil aviation services 546 cities in South Africa. There are 143 airports with paved runways. The main air services are carried out by the state-owned South African Airways (SAA), which is currently in the process of privatization. In addition to it, there are 3 more large ones (Comair, SA Express and SA Airlink) and 16 small local airlines. Air transport connects South Africa with countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, America and Australia. 7 million passengers and 2 billion tonne-kilometres of cargo are transported annually.

The country has three large pipelines: 931 km (crude oil), 1,748 km (petroleum products), 322 km (gas).

Communication lines are the most modern. Communication with outside world carried out via two submarine cables and three Intersalt satellites. Long-distance telephone conversations are provided by cable network and via satellites. The number of landline phones is more than 5 million, mobile phones - 7.06 million (2001). A telephone network expansion project has been developed and launched to include 12 million new telephones at a cost of R6 billion. There are more than 350 radio stations and more than 550 television stations in the country, 145 of which rebroadcast other television stations. The number of radios is 17 million (2001), televisions are 6 million (2000). Number of Internet users: 3.068 million (2002).

20 coal-fired power plants, one nuclear and several small hydropower plants are owned by the state-owned company ESKOM. Their total capacity is 39,154 MW. South Africa is the center of the unified energy system of southern Africa, from Zambia to Namibia; it supplies energy to neighboring countries and, in turn, receives it from Mozambique and Zambia. A project to transfer water from the mountains of Lesotho to South Africa worth $3.77 billion is being implemented, including a water pipeline with a throughput capacity of 77 m3 per second and a cascade of hydroelectric power stations. Construction will be completed in 2017, but the first phase of the project has already been completed.

Trade provides employment to a large part of the population. In 2001, out of 10.8 million jobs, trade and restaurants accounted for 2.4 million. In reality, at least 2 million more people are employed in trade. These are street vendors, they do not pay taxes and therefore are counted in statistics as unemployed.

Tourism is a rapidly growing industry. In 2000, the country was visited by 6 million tourists (this number does not include foreigners who came to work).

The government's economic and social policies are very closely linked. Efforts in the economy are aimed at achieving annual growth of 5%, at a minimum, which would allow part of the GDP growth to be directed to the fight against poverty. 50% of the population is below the poverty level (2000). These are mainly Africans, whose incomes in general are several times (and in rural areas an order of magnitude) lower than those of whites. Their hopes for a quick improvement in their situation after the overthrow of the power of white racists were not justified, and in order to avoid a social explosion, the government is forced to direct significant budget funds not to production, but to the social sphere, to combat the poverty of Africans. Programs are being implemented for electrification, water supply to African regions, and construction of houses for the poor. The social component of government policy is aimed at stabilizing the situation in the country, but at the same time it is a brake on economic growth. Eight years of democratic South Africa have shown that it cannot achieve 5% growth through domestic savings. Foreign investment is needed, but hopes for an influx after apartheid have not materialized. One aspect economic reforms carried out by the government - creating favorable conditions for foreign capital, however, South Africa will most likely not receive large private investments in the coming years, because external capital views it as a country with a high potential for socio-political destabilization due to the gap between the living standards of whites and black. As for financing from other states and international organizations, South Africa has not received a single large loan from the World Bank. The IMF says it is ready to assist in the development of South Africa, but Pretoria refuses the proposed loans, considering the conditions for their provision unacceptable. Among the IMF's recommendations are privatization, termination of state aid to unprofitable enterprises, and reduction of government spending. The paradox is that, while rejecting the IMF conditions, the government follows them in its policies. Privatization is being carried out, although slowly, the first government development program has been replaced by a second, in which ambitious figures for helping the poor have disappeared, although the authorities have not abandoned the principles of their social policy. However, reforms towards economic liberalization, especially privatization, lead to the loss of jobs in the public sector and provoke resistance from trade unions and the Communist Party - the main political allies of the ruling ANC party. The government is forced to take this into account, especially since opponents of reforms reinforce their position with strikes. The achievement of domestic policy is, although slow, but stable economic growth and some improvement in social infrastructure in African regions.

Namaqualand, South Africa – ‘Finger and Thumb’ Succulent Plant – Image by © Frans Lanting/Corbis

Cape Town, South Africa — Cape Town and Harbor Under Full Moon — Image by © Jon Hicks/Corbis

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) issues the rand, determines its exchange rate, credit policy, setting the discount rate, issues licenses to private banks, and controls foreign trade operations. In recent years, some restrictions on the export of foreign currency have been lifted, and gold miners, who were obliged to hand over mined gold to the South African Republic, received the right to independently enter the foreign market. Commercial operations are carried out by private banks, incl. foreign. South Africa is united with Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland under a common currency agreement in the so-called. rand zone This means the need for coordinated action by the Central Banks of these countries, but in practice the overall financial policy is determined in Pretoria.

State budget (2002/03, billion US dollars): revenues 22.6, expenses (including capital budget) 24.7. Taxes provide 75% budget revenues. To combat poverty, a “temporary” tax has been in place for several years on the income of individuals and legal entities if they exceed R50 thousand per year. At the same time, since 2000, the corporate income tax has been reduced from 40 to 35%, but the tax on dividends has been increased from 15 to 25%. A peculiarity of the state budget is that 46% of its expenses are transfers to the provinces for use for social needs. The second largest item of expenditure in the 2001/02 budget was servicing the public debt (20.2%). In the 2002/03 budget it decreased to 15.7%. In recent years, the budget deficit has been planned at 2.1% of GDP, but budget execution showed 1.4-1.5%. External public debt - 25.5 billion US dollars (2001).

The standard of living in South Africa is higher than in most African countries, but national income is distributed extremely unevenly. Since 1993, data on its distribution by racial group have not been published, but the income of most whites is still several times higher than that of the vast majority of Africans. In 2000, 50% of the population was below the poverty line. These are primarily rural residents and the unemployed in cities. The situation of other sections of urban residents has improved in recent years. Wages in the public and private sectors are indexed in accordance with inflation, and the cost of living index in 2000-02 did not exceed it, amounting to 5-6% per year. Minimum wages have been established for different industries. In the mining industry, it is $200 per month for surface workers. In addition, the miners' union achieved a 25% increase in wages for low-wage workers. Many trade unions and entrepreneurs have entered into agreements linking wage levels to increased enterprise productivity. The repeal of apartheid laws that excluded Africans from skilled work opened up the opportunity for them to engage in private business and thus improve their standard of living. Already, Africans have ousted whites from the taxi service and African millionaires have appeared in business. The Africanization policy not only changed the racial composition of the state apparatus, there were changes in the administration of large private companies. The improvement in the lives of the working population is evidenced by an increase in sales of durable goods and an increase in deposits in banks (in 2000-01 by 20% per year). Bank deposits exceed the amount of money in the hands of the population by 11 times. We can talk about the emergence of an African “middle class”.

The dependence of the South African economy on foreign trade very significant. In 2001, South Africa had a positive trade balance. Exports amounted to 32.3 billion US dollars, and imports - 28.1 billion. Main export items: gold, diamonds, platinum, other minerals, machinery and equipment, food and drinks. Main import items: vehicles, machinery, oil, chemicals, food. Main trading partners: EU, USA, Japan, Holland, Saudi Arabia. South Africa is a member of the Southern African Customs Union, which also includes Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. South Africa's balance of payments has been in recent years with a positive balance ($2.16 billion, 2001).

Science and culture of the Republic of South Africa

According to UNESCO, 18.2% of the adult population is illiterate. School education compulsory for children aged 7 to 16 years. In 1996 primary schools 94% of all children attended (93% of boys and 95% of girls), and 51% (46 and 57%) attended secondary schools. Scientific work conducted at universities and research institutes. In 2000, the country had 22 universities and 15 technical universities (“technikons”). In 2002, a reform of the university system began, as a result of which some universities will be closed, but new ones will open. Scientific institutes conduct research in many fields: astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, social sciences. To some extent, research coordination is carried out by the South African Academy of Sciences and Arts, but administratively the institutes are independent from it. South Africa is the first country to perform a heart transplant.

From the end 19th century An extensive South African literature has been produced in English, Afrikaans and African languages. The names of such writers as O. Schreiner, B. Vilakazi, A. Jordan, P. Abrahams, Breitenbach and others are known all over the world. N. Gordiner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The architecture of South African cities is very diverse. Local architects brought originality to European styles - neo-Gothic, neoclassicism, creating “Cape” architecture. In con. 20th century In large cities, many administrative buildings have been erected with complex planning solutions in the style of the most avant-garde trends. The development of painting and music is characterized by the revival of the traditional African heritage and the combination of elements of African and European art. South African church choral singing has gained worldwide fame.

Jacob Zuma hand feeds his wives.

For many years now, the Republic of South Africa has been led by a black Zulu president, Jacob Zuma. He is due to turn 75 in April, but he is as energetic as a young man. Grandfather has eight wives, five of which are official! Only $2 million is spent annually from the state treasury on maintaining the presidential harem. If only the heroic Boers, descendants of Dutch, French and German colonists in South Africa, knew how the wealth of the country for whose future they fought would be spent...
Following the 2014 parliamentary elections, in which the ANC won 249 seats, Jacob Zuma was re-elected to a second presidential term on 21 May without a vote due to the lack of other candidates. If anyone tried to stand as a candidate, he would get acquainted with the Zulu... not with spears, but with bullets...

After the elimination of apartheid, the black population of the country gained access to areas previously closed to them and, naturally, immediately took advantage of the opportunity provided.

The photo shows old black neighborhoods built for black workers by Rhodes's diamond heir, Openheimer. (Now rich blacks live here; if a criminal stupidly wanders here, he is killed and the corpse is given to the police.)
The Whites did not wait for the new owners of the state. Those who still continued to live in the inner city of Johannesburg abandoned their apartments. In their place, new residents with a different skin color immediately moved in. These were the dregs of black society. In general, a classic example of “white flight”, but at the same time different from a similar situation in Detroit. If in the “City of Motors” the leading role was played by the depressed state of the main branch of the city economy - the automobile industry, then in the “City of Gold” the basis was primarily political processes. However, regardless of the root causes, the result was the same. Both cities went from “white” to “black”. Negroes, voluntarily occupying housing left by whites, refused to pay for it. The immediate result of this was the rapid degradation of the city's housing stock. Landlords stopped servicing their properties, turning off water, sewerage, and electricity. “Little New York” was turning into “Little Harlem.”

Here is an example of the most famous building in South Africa... An empty high-rise building was captured by black gangs, turning the elite skyscraper into a breeding ground for crime, drug addiction and AIDS. The bottom of the atrium acted as a dump five floors high...

Big business, the headquarters of the largest South African companies, of course, have not disappeared from Johannesburg; the city still remains the business capital of the country. They just moved closer to the employees. In the northern suburbs, in the Sandton area, a new, well-protected settlement has appeared, of course not as impressive as the “Central Business District” created in the 1950-70s, but much safer. The city actually remains divided, only white and black have swapped places...

By the time apartheid was abolished, the police were 64% consisted from blacks. The main problem was the command staff. Only by the mid-2000s did the authorities manage to achieve 50% of blacks in leadership positions. This in itself was not a problem (the black middle class is still quite loyal to the whites, and it is from them that black officers were and are recruited). The problem was a purely political decision - to flood the law enforcement agencies with people from the ANC, which had its own specialists on security issues. The flow of terrorists from National Congress(ANC) has corroded the police from within much faster than any positive discrimination.
The powers of the police were reduced after 1994 - now too active use of force was not encouraged. In some Norway, such a measure seems appropriate - but we are talking about a country of black intra-tribal slavery, blood feud, cannibalism, voodooism, and other, no less beautiful ancient customs. The crime situation has sharply worsened, the mortality rate among police has increased, 200-300 killed police officers is normal for modern South Africa, although this is the highest figure in the world, huge even by African standards.
Mandela's dashing reforms also added fuel to the fire; after significant relaxations in the legislation on private security services, this market inflated to the point of indecency and took away the best employees from the police... Today in South Africa there are 190 thousand police officers and an army of almost a million security guards.
Meanwhile, the crime rate continues to skyrocket, coupled with extreme poverty. After the victory of democracy from 1994 to 1998 there wasregistered 2000 attacks in which 550 white farmers were killed. Moreover, the ANC looks like a herbivorous organization in comparison with other black movements like the Pan-African Congress of Azania, whose leaders, until 1994, generally came out with slogans like “One farmer - one bullet” and demanded the immediate seizure of land from the Boers without any compensation. And the American organization "Black Panthers" sent its fighters to teach locals how best to kill whites.
Today, after the advent of democracy in the country, 200 thousand have been killed... The rise of black racism, fully encouraged by the government. The authorities prefer to blame the failure of their own social policy on the Boers. By 2011, the number of white farmers killed has grown to 3037. Life in South Africa has become an extreme sport for whites: the danger of robbery, beatings, rape and simply violent death has increased many times over.
On the other hand, some whites can afford to isolate themselves from the surrounding horror. Fortified camps are created, protected by the latest science and technology, high walls, energized barbed wire, motion sensors, machine gun towers, where rich whites live in their besieged fortresses.
Here is a blissful example of white survival in this country: "On road sign, indicating the entrance to Orania, the inscription: “Private property. No blacks allowed!” This is how visitors are greeted in a small town in the heart of the Republic of South Africa. The population of Orania is about 700 people. To have the right to settle here, you must at least be a member of the white race.
“Even during apartheid, I realized that fragile harmony could not last,” says the city’s mayor, Karel Boshoff. “Blacks will sooner or later take power, and we, the white minority, will remain completely powerless.”
“We don't like what has been happening in South Africa since 1994. We believe that the mixing of people in South Africa was a mistake and caused conflicts, says Orania Deputy Mayor Prinsloo Potgetjer. “So we decided to live our own way.” Boshoff, son-in-law of former South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, founded Orania with 11 families in 1990. The settlers purchased the small town and surrounding area and have been building a white South African future here ever since. According to local residents, the main goal of creating a voluntary reservation is to preserve the language and cultural heritage Afrikaners, descendants of colonists of Dutch, French and German origin. About 20 years ago they made up 60% of the white population of South Africa. The remaining 40% were Anglo-Africans, most of whom left the country after the blacks came to power. However, Afrikaners consider the republic their homeland and do not intend to leave the country, and there is nowhere to run.
Orania lives thanks to agriculture. To avoid problems with the authorities, residents founded a private company, in which everyone works. There are money people walking around the town - ores.
“In terms of freedoms for Afrikaners, it’s much easier here, and it’s also safe, if we talk about the crime rate in the country,” says Focus John Strydom, who has lived in Orania for 14 years.
The settlers do not use black labor as a matter of principle, so as not to give them political rights. This, according to Boshoff, would plunge the city into the same chaos in which South Africa has been living for the last fifteen years."
Usually happens in South Africa 50 murders a day - more than in Mexico, where an endless drug war rages. South Africa - world capital rapes (according to experts, up to 500 thousand cases a year)! Of course, most of the victims are black, but white women are also at risk: locals firmly believe that sex with a white woman cures AIDS, and at least 30% of blacks are sick...
The new black regime exploits blacks no worse than the old one: in 2012 the police are democratic killed 44 miners demonstrating for higher wages, of course, without any sanctions or indignation from the world community. There is no more apartheid, and the mine actually belongs to the British Lonmin...
From 1996 to 2011, the number of farms fell from 60 thousand to 40 thousand. From 1994 to 2004, about a fifth of all whites left the country - a huge number of talented and qualified specialists who would like to live in a black “paradise” turned out to be not to my liking. White farmers are still at risk. Since 1997, the number of white farmers decreased by a third armed attacks are committed against farmers 4 times more often than the national average.
I have mentioned the ANC several times - this terrorist black organization now officially rules in South Africa. They are the ones on December 16, 1961 staged a series of explosions in major cities of the country. And they continued to kill whites and blacks, terrorizing the population... Their favorite pastime was making “necklaces”. They caught a man, better than a white one, but a black renegade would do. They buried him up to his neck in the ground, put a cut car tire around his neck, added gasoline and set it on fire... Sometimes the victim was slowly roasted alive for several hours...
In terms of population, South Africa ranks 26th in the world, with 51.8 million people living in the country (July 2010 estimate). The number of whites in the country is rapidly decreasing due to their emigration to North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand mostly under the age of 40. According to various sources, whites now make up 8.8% of the population, but in the 40s their share reached 21-25% of the country's population! The share of the black population of South Africa is growing due to the influx of black emigrants from other African countries. More than 10 million immigrants arrived in South Africa...
Over the past two decades, the country's population has remained almost unchanged due to high HIV infection rates, as well as a decline in the number of whites. One of the central problems is the massive spread of HIV infection (mainly among the black population), for which South Africa ranks first in the world.
Impressions of those who visited South Africa:
“Johannesburg made a very difficult impression. The largest city South Africa, once the business capital, “is now rapidly losing its image as a leader in the region” - a quote from the Internet. I confirm. The center is dirty and disgusting. There are skyscrapers all around in the fashion of the seventies. But they are grey, not renovated for a long time, with peeling advertising signs. In many places where the advertising was torn off by the former owners (white), now it is either not restored, or it has been crookedly corrected with bare paint. And there are black people all around. Packed. They sleep, eat, relieve themselves, trade, ... live right on the sidewalks. But the culture is like in your homeland in the village. A thousand kilometers from here. We didn't dare get out of a taxi in the center of Johannesburg. And disgusting. And creepy. It’s as if the whites were poisoned with some kind of chemical, like bedbugs... sorry for the frankness.”
"We're sitting down. Negroes in large quantities, there are also a lot of them at the airport. Well, yes, Africa. I pass border and customs control without any problems, get my luggage - everything is in place! It's strange that nothing was lost. Michael meets me in a rented Renault. Next we need to go to Durban, which is 700 km on the east coast. I ask him to show me the city first. Michael is surprised, “What is there to see?” I have to explain that this is my first time here and I’m interested in everything. HE takes me to the very center and I am shocked by this. There are skyscrapers around, well, that's understandable. But on the ground there is complete blackness and dirt. Why? Michael explains that the blacks gradually took over the city center and turned it into a septic tank, so the city's business center moved to another location. In general, there is nothing for tourists to do in Johannesburg. In addition, it is also impossible for local whites to live here due to the crime rate. But all the money is circulating here and in Pretoria, and therefore many people also have to live here, enclosing their house with an electric fence and barbed wire. But this doesn’t always help. "
"In very beautiful Durban, 3 minutes after stopping in the city center to take a picture of my loved one against the backdrop of the city hall, my colleague was robbed. Two irresponsible teenagers with knives took away an expensive camera. Black. I admit, I thought about some benefits of apartheid. The attitude towards street hooligans sharply negative, none of them make "Robin Hoods". The black thieves who came across before our eyes were almost torn to pieces by a crowd of the same "black brothers". The elderly black man was especially indignant - he constantly demanded to hang them right here, in the city square. "Here Because of such brats they think badly of us! - the black man made noise. “Let’s hang them!” The crowd listened. The police did not allow lynching to take place, and the frustrated champion of order spat at one of the thieves. He didn’t hit. He concentrated. He missed again. He would have continued these fascinating educational spits, but the police led the unlucky robbers to area."
"I lived in Randburg for almost 5 years, this is an urban area of ​​Johannesburg, slightly above average. Life in South Africa is unique, very cheap - compared to other developed countries, but at the same time, in one country there is also the “first world” (Western standards) and the "third world" (unfathomable poverty). When all this is combined, then, naturally, the mixture is explosive. Blacks do not like whites, because whites have squeezed them for many decades. Whites of blacks (not all whites, but very many) They are despised because blacks, in their opinion, are narrow-minded and lazy at work. Outwardly you won’t notice it right away, you have to live there for some time. Almost all whites are racists (they believe that blacks are second class). Currently time, blacks have been squeezing whites - for 13 years now, since blacks came to power in 1993. Whites make less money than blacks working the same job - because blacks have been "underprivileged" for many years years It is harder for whites to find work - the company must have a certain percentage of black employees; if you are a white man, then it is even harder (a white woman is previously oppressed as a woman, preference is given to the oppressed). There are also many Indians and “coloreds” in South Africa. All nations, in principle, stand on their own - in words everyone is equal, but there is a structure, whites are still the elite - although they are squeezed in terms of wages. There are a lot of politics related to race - even at the level of ordinary, everyday life. Whites keep to themselves, communicate with other whites, with such communication the standards are the same as in any other western country. The houses are large and beautiful, almost all whites have servants living in the house. There are still many English and other nationalities in South Africa, although many emigrated after the blacks came to power."
Africa is moving to Europe...
The hasty flight of Europeans from Africa, groveling before the bloodiest dictators of our time, became the basis of the latter’s unlimited power. Sekou Toure broke diplomatic relations with France, and Paris humiliatedly asked for their restoration for 10 years. When the Guinean tyrant “forgave” France, the President of the Republic, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, flew headlong to Guinea to pay his respects. Idi Amin ordered the arrest and execution of his critic, English teacher Denis Hills. The British Queen and the Prime Minister sent pitiful letters of apology and a request for clemency, and the Foreign Minister personally flew to Uganda and several times asked for forgiveness for the words of the British citizen, giving Amin the opportunity to fully enjoy the humiliation of the former metropolis.
This so-called civilized world has forbidden itself, in principle, to criticize the policies of the new post-colonial states. The UN endlessly condemned apartheid in South Africa or the white minority rule of Ian Smith, but never the monsters: Amin or Mobutu...
This behavior of the West is worse than a crime!
And now cute black brothers from Africa are sweeping Europe...

About morals:
35-year-old Zimbabwean Andrew Chimbosa, who lives in South Africa, pleaded guilty to the murder of 62-year-old Mbuiselo Manona, saying that he tore out the victim's heart and ate it in order to prove to the deceased that he was not gay...
He also offered his “deepest apologies” to the relatives of the murdered man, noting that he regards his actions as “exceeding the boundaries of necessary self-defense”...

White genocide is happening in South Africa!

From an article about a court case in South Africa: "I killed them because they were white." These famous words were spoken last year by William Kekana, who was involved in one of the most horrific crimes in which the entire family of Clifford Rounsthorne was destroyed, including his fiancée, child and his mother. But the murder of the entire family was not in the media, not even the fact that one-year-old Kyle was killed on his first birthday. They're white! The women were raped before they were killed...

Anika Smith was at home, not at school due to illness, when blacks broke into her home, raped her en masse and cut off her forearms while she was still alive. They needed her hands for their voodoo rituals. She bled to death and her father found her when he came home from work...

South Africa is number one in sexual abuse of children of all ages. This happens daily...

In 2001, six men aged 24 to 66 raped a nine-month-old girl. In February 2002, four men were reported to have raped an 8-month-old child. One of the men was charged...

If the killer, a black man, is a member of the ANC, he will not be prosecuted... And most likely he will go free... (Reminiscent of the attitude towards “refugees” in Europe...)

More than 67,000 cases of rape and sexual assault involving children were reported in South Africa in 2000.

Blacks believe that sexual intercourse with a white virgin can cure them of AIDS. This, among other things, explains their frequent rape of girls. Every third teenager of both sexes in South Africa is a victim of sexual violence.

Many whites in South Africa live in poverty, they are not hired because they are white, they are denied medical care, they do not receive an education, rich whites, and sometimes blacks, bring them humanitarian aid and give them free soup.

They can't get a job for the simple reason that they are white... Priority in hiring is given to a black man, even if he is dumb as a plug, then a white woman and only lastly a white man...

And now, after the adoption in June 2016 of a law confiscating land from white farmers in South Africa, the country is on the brink of civil war...
Let me explain. The government says the land belonged to the blacks, so pay us money for the territories. The fact is that the land itself and work on it do not interest them. The blacks themselves are colonists, the Zulu tribes came to these lands, destroying more than 2 million local residents of those who did not have time to escape and came across colonists moving from the empty uninhabited coast - the Boers during the Great Trek... The Zulus never cultivated the land! This was considered a shameful occupation, worthy only of slaves! But the Hotenttot and Bushmen tribes live in a primitive communal system and engage in gathering; they have no concept of land ownership at all. Look at Rhodesia becoming Zimbabwe. Read what it has become now. There they also took land from the whites.“Restoring justice” in neighboring South Africa Zimbabwe... Whites were killed or expelled not only from the land, but also from the country. President Mugabe unofficially allowed the seizure of farm lands not according to the right of former property (there was simply no such right), but just like that - without any compensation even for livestock and property. Priority was given to veterans of the national liberation struggle, former partisans, who considered the land a reward for service, but did not know how to cultivate it or manage buffaloes. Hundreds of local goats were released into the pasture. These goats tend to eat everything they see with roots, and within two seasons the pastures would turn into desert. Buffaloes and cows, which were imported from South Africa, became extinct.
Thus began the famine...
Today, human rights activists are trying to attract the attention of countries in Europe, America, as well as Australia and New Zealand to the problem of racially motivated crime in South Africa. One way to help whites is to accept them abroad and recognize their refugee status. But the problem is that mass immigration of 4 million South Africans is impossible! For example, in the USA there is a quota for Africans. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Afrikaners have European blood, they fall precisely under this quota. Moreover, analysts believe that allowing white immigration could undermine the status of the late Nelson Mandela, dispelling the myth of him and the ANC as “fighters for freedom and justice.”
In 2010, a protest march against white genocide in South Africa took place in Sweden. The Right Perspective radio reported: march participants believe that “You can no longer sit and do nothing, because what is happening now in South Africa can happen to us in the future.” In 2012, a protest was organized in Los Angeles and in 15 other US states. Leaflets with information about the genocide in South Africa were distributed to all random passersby. The protest organizers were pleasantly surprised by the responsiveness of the people and their desire to support the Afrikaners.
The problem of mass murder of whites in South Africa was hushed up for a long time, and representatives of the white minority failed to attract the attention of other countries to it. I would like to believe that the situation has begun to change for the better, and that the descendants of the Boers will finally be heard by the world...
Black racism is the official policy of South Africa! Both the president of the country and the so-called members of the government have repeatedly spoken about this and, most importantly, acted in accordance with it!
"I have a dream!" - said the outstanding fighter for the rights of the black population, Martin Luther KING, in the 60s. It would seem that it has come true. Barack OBAMA sat in the chair of the US President, and the apartheid regime collapsed in South Africa back in 1994. Only there is no need to talk about the kingdom of justice that the preacher dreamed of. And the white majority North America, and the white minority in South Africa themselves became an oppressed category of citizens. But it’s unlikely that anyone will stand up for them even on March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination...

The granting of capital status to three cities in South Africa at the same time occurred due to the fact that the country was initially a confederal state. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 from the Republic of South Africa, the British possessions and the Orange Free State. For this reason, authorities were distributed among the capitals of the countries that were part of it. Thus, South Africa, renamed South Africa in 1961, now has three official capitals: Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein.

Pretoria

This city acts as the administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa as it houses the country's government. It is located in the northeast of the state and is the center of the Gauteng province. Pretoria was founded in 1855 by the son of the commander-in-chief of the Boer settlers, Martinus Pretorius, after whom it was named.

During the world-famous apartheid, Pretoria was considered the citadel of this policy. Today it is a modern and large city, where luxurious green parks and skyscrapers contrast with the terrible slums. It is an important scientific, economic and commercial center of South Africa.

Cape Town

The second capital of South Africa, the city of Cape Town, is located right on the Atlantic coast, next to the Cape of Good Hope. The history of the origin of this city is unknown for certain, since the first written evidence about it dates back only to 1497. Cape Town received the status of the capital of the British colonies in 1814, and 50 years later it began to actively grow due to the influx of immigrants who went to the diamond fields.

Cape Town is now recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the world and one of the most visited places in South Africa. It covers an area of ​​almost 2.5 thousand square meters, and about 3.5 thousand people live in it, among whom there are quite a lot of white people. The South African Parliament, an international airport, and several marinas and ports of international importance are located there.

Bloemfontein

The judicial capital of South Africa is the city of Bloemfontein, located in the Free State province. It was officially founded in 1846 and 10 years later became the capital of the Orange Republic. Bloemfontein represents a significant industrial sector in South Africa, with businesses in the food, glass, metal, leather and tobacco industries.

Cape Town- this is legislative capital of South Africa, seat of the South African Parliament. In addition to Cape Town, South Africa has two more official capitals: the administrative capital, Pretoria, and the judicial capital, Bloemfontein. From its founding in 1652 to the present day, Cape Town has evolved from a small wooden fort to a huge modern metropolis with a population of about four million people. The history and sights of the city were influenced by its favorable geographical location, because Cape Town coordinates(latitude 33° 55’ 33" S and longitude 18° 25' 23" E) are located on the border of two oceans - the Atlantic and Indian.

The modern Republic of South Africa is the most multinational and most economically developed country in Africa. South Africa is the only one African country, part of the G20.

Table Mountain - where Cape Town began

Back in 1503, the Portuguese navigator Antonio de Saldanha, sailing to India, was unable to use observations and maps to figure out whether he had rounded the Cape of Good Hope or was still in the Atlantic Ocean. To decide, he climbed a flat mountain about a kilometer high that dominated the coastal landscape. As he climbed, he not only saw that the cape he was looking for was in the south, but also discovered several sources of water.

The place was truly unique. Table Mountain - the name Saldanha gave it - protected a convenient bay from the wind, provided excellent visibility and could supply settlers and expeditions with water and provisions.

In addition, the bay, which was also called Table, was located approximately halfway between Europe and India, from where spices were transported to the Old World. The place for resupplying food, water and resting for sailors was simply ideal.

None of them European powers for a long time there were no resources to establish in a place where is cape town, a full-fledged settlement. It was only in 1652 that the Dutch, or rather their East India Company, built a fort at the foot of Table Mountain, which gave rise to Cape Town, initially called Kapstadt.

Nowadays there are not only several quite convenient hiking trails to Table Mountain, but also a cable car. The mountain, which is actually a plateau about three kilometers long, attracts tourists with stunning views of Cape Town and the surrounding ocean. In addition, many beautiful flora grow on its slopes, some of which are found only in these places.

Castle of Good Hope

Within 15 years, the enterprising Dutch rebuilt the unsightly wooden fort into a full-fledged defensive structure. They called it the Castle of Good Hope, but it was far from a full-fledged castle.

Gradually the castle lost its defensive significance and fell into disrepair over time. Only in the 20th century did it receive the status of an ancient monument. In 1992, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out. After her, the Castle of Good Hope acquired its original appearance. Now it houses impressive collections of ancient weapons, furniture, dishes and an art gallery.

They even have their own ghosts. Legends about them go back to the times when the castle's basements served as a prison for the most dangerous Boers who fought the British.

Robben Island

A piece of land with an area of ​​just over 5 square meters. km., located 12 kilometers from Cape Town, was first known as a shipping storm. Powerful waves threw ships onto its shoals like shells. And if in other places the sailors could hope to refloat during high tide, then in the vicinity of Robben the ships were doomed - they were destroyed in a matter of hours.

The deserted island was ideal for creating a prison, and people at all times did not pass by such places. Even the lack of water did not stop the Dutch - already in the 18th century they began to bring oppositionists from other colonies to Robben. The British, who captured Cape Town in the 19th century, also gladly sent the Boers to the island. After the formation of South Africa, a prison was built on the island. strict regime, for which a water pipeline was built from Cape Town by sea. The legendary Nelson Mandela spent almost 20 years in prison on Robben Island.Now the island has been turned into a nature reserve, accessible by ferry from Cape Town.

Museum "Gold of Africa"

One of the most important milestones in the development of Cape Town was the gold rush of the second half of the 19th century. Gold was mined quite far inland, but due to the fact that the city was the largest port and administrative capital, the golden river flowed almost exclusively through it. Tools, equipment and food were sent back to the mountains, further increasing the income of South Africa's largest city. According to some estimates, a third of the world's gold has been extracted from South Africa.

The African Gold Museum is a unique monument to an era in which those wishing to instantly get rich came to Cape Town from all over the world. The museum is located in a restored building dating from the late 18th century. In addition to exhibits dating back to the gold rush period, it displays gold items created in African kingdoms dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. In the store located in the museum building you can buy gilded copies of exhibits and original trinkets.

Kango Caves

Geographically, the Cango Caves are located quite far from Cape Town, but visiting them is included in compulsory program getting to know the South African capital. This geological formation was discovered at the end of the 18th century. With the development of southern Africa, the caves became a popular attraction and already in 1820 they were taken under the protection of the British colonial administration - visitors actively took apart the stalagmites and stalactites of the Kango caves for souvenirs.

Now two routes are available to organized tourists. Downtime lasts about an hour. During this time, the tour passes through six spacious halls. Its highlight is the organ hall - a huge cave, the back wall of which really looks like an organ. Those who want to tickle their nerves can follow the adventure route. They will have to make their way through narrow passages and, among other things, along a corridor with the promising name “Devil's Chimney”.

Bo Kaap or Malay Quarter

Although racial segregation was formally legalized only in the 20th century, Cape Town city in South Africa could be considered an illustration of this concept at least a century earlier. The city is quite clearly divided into white, colored and black areas. Descendants of mixed marriages have long settled in the Malay Quarter, or Bo-Kaap. Gradually a very colorful area emerged. Asian artisans and their descendants built houses of the same type, which differed only in the color of the outer walls. Mosques dominate the residential areas, the oldest of which was built in the mid-19th century.

Desegregation was a major challenge for the Malay Quarter. Its proximity to the center of Cape Town (the area is located between the center and Table Mountain) has made the property an attractive investment. Modern buildings began to appear in the area. Most likely, in a few decades, the architecture and life of Bo-Kaap will only be available in the museum located here.

Cape Town modern

Modern Cape Town is by no means a historical monument. The mild climate, warm ocean, cozy bays and excellent tourism infrastructure attract millions of tourists to the southern tip of Africa. Diving, boat excursions, hiking and wine farm tours are very popular in Cape Town and the surrounding area. Settlers from Holland and France managed to develop local grape varieties, the wines from which are not inferior to the best examples of world winemaking.

The center of evening life in Cape Town is the so-called. "Waterfront". This is a shortened name for the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Here you will find luxury shops, restaurants, theaters, nightclubs and the pearl of Cape Town's entertainment - the Two Oceans Aquarium. It consists of three dozen pools in which representatives of the water world, both Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The highlights of the aquarium are a huge 11-meter cylinder glowing from the inside and an artificial section of the beach where seals and penguins live.