Unit 7.2 –
How did the Industrial Revolution change
South Africa?
S.A. Industrial Revolution begin when
discovered along the Vaal River in the
Northern Cape.
and
(Forever changed the future of S.A.)
Diggers collected small stones from riverbeds then washed and sorted them, with the hope that
they would be rich :-)
But most were unsuccessful :-(
Economy of S.A. = Rural, Agricultural Economy → urban, industrial economy
• Many people lost their ability to be self-sufficient, and were forced to act as
wage labourers in the mines or towns, for seeking work.
• The gap between rich and poor has since then increased.
Why was the discovery of diamonds and gold so important?
• People in Africa, a long mining industry.
• Late 1880s, diamonds and gold first discovered.
• Later discovered in the diamond fields - known as "dry excavation”.
• most important place was Kimberley.
Thousands of people rushed to this land
in the hope of "claiming" their own land,
to get rich.
(A claim was a marked-off area, there you
could try digging for diamonds and
anything you find, you can keep and sell).
Machinery was sometimes necessary and
not everyone had money for it - so
people were "bought out" of their land.
Soon a few large companies possessed all
the diamond mines in Kimberly.
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• Small amount of gold discovered in Mpumalanga, but quickly ran out.
• Diggers discovered in 1886 large amount of gold on the Witwatersrand
(Gauteng).
o Most of this gold was very deep in the ground, so it was expensive to
mine.
o Large companies were then established for "deep mining"
operations. These mines needed many workers.
How did the discovery of diamonds and gold lead to industrialization ?
*Thousands of people from overseas and in
SA went to the diamond and gold mines, in
search of wealth and jobs.
* The cities Kimberley and Johannesburg
was created thanks to all the mines in the
areas.
* Railways were built to the mines and cities
with harbours connecting coast.
The discovery of minerals resulted to an industrial revolution in SA.
Who, needed what :
The mines
The new towns/cities
-
machinery, tools and other equipment
building materials such as brick, glass, etc..
Consequently:
Factories and industries were established to provide these goods.
Workshops and small factories were built to provide/supply goods to people in
new villages.
Source B, C, D
pg. 108
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Who came to work in the gold mines?
• Most people got a job with the company that controlled the mines.
• Towns began expanding, and new jobs and industries are created as people
needed transport, shops, building materials, household appliances, etc.
• Mostly unskilled labourers.
(Most came to work looking for firearms or other goods for sale; others
have come to work in the mines because of their farms that had terrible
droughts and animal diseases).
• People were forced to become labourers because Britain taken all their
land.
o They had to pay taxes and the only way to get money was through
commercial farms or to work in the mine.
Use photos to make comparisons and draw conclusions:
Why did people become migrant workers on the mines?
• Most unskilled workers are hired as contract workers.
o Once they completed their contracts, could they only then return to
their families in rural areas.
• Because they worked between towns, they were called "migrant workers".
• They could only live in the towns if they had proof of employment.
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Source E, F, G
pg. 110
How was it to work in gold mines?
Source G - J
pg. 110-111
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