February 2025

Economic Development in South Africa 1867-1910: Introduction

By |2025-02-12T09:19:02+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Johannesburg in 1888

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Economic Development in South Africa 1867-1910

  • This topic will look at the:
  • social,
  • political and economic effects of the discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa
  • The location of gold and diamond mines in South Africa
  • African […]
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The Discovery and Ownership of Diamond Mines at Kimberly

By |2025-02-12T09:19:19+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

The star of Africa cut and polished. Image credit pininterest.com

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: The Discovery and Ownership of Diamond Mines at Kimberly

Discovery of Diamonds

  • They were first discovered first in 1867 in the area the Vaal River flows into the Orange River
  • Diamonds were picked […]
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Problems Encountered by the First Miners

By |2025-02-12T09:19:32+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Diamond mine owners and their workers at Kimberly. Image credit wayfarersbookshop.com

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Problems Encountered by the First Miners

  • Diamonds were stolen by labourers through swallowing
  • The holes were usually dug deep and mines were joined making it difficult to identify and distinguish […]
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Mining Monopoly and its Effects in South Africa

By |2025-02-12T09:19:43+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Workers for the De Beers company

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Mining Monopoly and its Effects

  • The Wernher-Beit provided the capital to purchase all necessary claims
  • Its agent locally was Cecil John Rhodes who had been attracted by the adventures of mining in Africa
  • The capital […]
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South Africa 1867 – 1910: The Discovery of Gold

By |2025-02-12T09:32:48+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Early gold prospectors

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: The Discovery of Gold

  • Gold was discovered in 1884 in the Witwatersrand area but was under utilized
  • It was discovered by Jan Gerrit Bantjes on a farm called Vogelstruisfontein in June 1884 and then by the Struben brothers […]
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South Africa 1867 – 1910: Treatment of Mine Workers

By |2025-02-12T09:33:03+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Black and white workers on a South African mine.

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Treatment of Mine Workers

  • The gold mine owners borrowed lessons from the Kimberly experience
  • Workers were employed on a contract basis as they would be easier to regulate and discipline
  • The labour […]
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South Africa 1867 – 1910: The Mining Companies

By |2025-02-12T09:33:19+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Ferreira’s Gold Mine Johannesburg South Africa

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: The Mining Companies

  • The first settlers to acquire gold claims got more ores easier and were able to raise more capital for reinvestment
  • Later gold mining required much more technical and advanced machinery
  • Rhodes was […]
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South Africa 1867 – 1910: Economic Effects of Mining and Minerals in South Africa

By |2025-02-12T09:33:32+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Early image of Johannesburg.

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Effects of Mining

  • There was infrastructural development in South Africa, for example, railways, food industries and roads
  • Railways were built to link major towns such as Kimberly, Transvaal, Cape town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Johannesburg and Durban

    • […]

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South Africa 1867 – 1910: Social Effects of Minerals and Mining in South Africa

By |2025-02-12T09:33:50+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Mine workers of different races at Joburg

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Social Effects

  • The urban population grew in the 1870s
  • This was because many local population migrated to mining towns to search for employment
  • Foreigners also emigrated to South African mining towns in search of […]
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Political Effects of Gold and Diamonds discovery in South Africa

By |2025-02-12T09:33:59+02:00February 12th, 2025|Notes, O Level History Notes, Ordinary Level Notes|

Joburg grew rapidly after the discovery of gold

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: South Africa 1867 – 1910: Political Effects

  • The need to control diamond and gold mines led to conflict between the British an the Boer in the Anglo-Boer wars of 1880-1881 and 1899-1902
  • South Africa was united in 1910 […]
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