Johnny Steinberg

Afrikaners are the descendants of the first white people who settled in South Africa. That dates from 1652. At the time, Holland was a great imperial power. About a century and a half later, when Holland was in trouble in the Napoleonic Wars, Britain took over the Cape Colony. A whole lot of English-speaking white people arrived.

Afrikaners are the descendants of the first white people who settled in South Africa. That dates from 1652. At the time, Holland was a great imperial power. About a century and a half later, when Holland was in trouble in the Napoleonic Wars, Britain took over the Cape Colony. A whole lot of English-speaking white people arrived.

Afrikaners are the descendants of the first white people who settled in South Africa. That dates from 1652. At the time, Holland was a great imperial power. About a century and a half later, when Holland was in trouble in the Napoleonic Wars, Britain took over the Cape Colony. A whole lot of English-speaking white people arrived.

And it was the descendants who formed themselves into Afrikaner nationalists, into a nationalist project in the late 19th, early 20th century. And I guess it was to stand up against the British and to suppress black people. And that project saw its culmination in 1948, when the party of Afrikaner nationalism, the National Party, came to power and instituted apartheid.

And it was the descendants who formed themselves into Afrikaner nationalists, into a nationalist project in the late 19th, early 20th century. And I guess it was to stand up against the British and to suppress black people. And that project saw its culmination in 1948, when the party of Afrikaner nationalism, the National Party, came to power and instituted apartheid.

And it was the descendants who formed themselves into Afrikaner nationalists, into a nationalist project in the late 19th, early 20th century. And I guess it was to stand up against the British and to suppress black people. And that project saw its culmination in 1948, when the party of Afrikaner nationalism, the National Party, came to power and instituted apartheid.

You know, apartheid is famously one of many brutal regimes in the 20th century.

You know, apartheid is famously one of many brutal regimes in the 20th century.

You know, apartheid is famously one of many brutal regimes in the 20th century.

Many millions of people were displaced from their homes. You know, in the political struggle against apartheid, many thousands of people were killed and detained. It was a long, bitter, bloody, difficult struggle for democracy, which miraculously ended peacefully in a negotiated settlement in 1994.

Many millions of people were displaced from their homes. You know, in the political struggle against apartheid, many thousands of people were killed and detained. It was a long, bitter, bloody, difficult struggle for democracy, which miraculously ended peacefully in a negotiated settlement in 1994.

Many millions of people were displaced from their homes. You know, in the political struggle against apartheid, many thousands of people were killed and detained. It was a long, bitter, bloody, difficult struggle for democracy, which miraculously ended peacefully in a negotiated settlement in 1994.

Well, four years earlier, in 1990, the last president of apartheid, F.W. de Klerk, released Nelson Mandela.

Well, four years earlier, in 1990, the last president of apartheid, F.W. de Klerk, released Nelson Mandela.

Well, four years earlier, in 1990, the last president of apartheid, F.W. de Klerk, released Nelson Mandela.

Unbanned his party, the ANC, and decided that apartheid would end by a negotiated settlement with the people who were once his enemy.

Unbanned his party, the ANC, and decided that apartheid would end by a negotiated settlement with the people who were once his enemy.

Unbanned his party, the ANC, and decided that apartheid would end by a negotiated settlement with the people who were once his enemy.

You know, a lot of people died in those four years. There was a lot of violence. It was a complicated process. But it was, in the end, a peaceful settlement that both sides agreed to, bringing in democracy in April 1994.

You know, a lot of people died in those four years. There was a lot of violence. It was a complicated process. But it was, in the end, a peaceful settlement that both sides agreed to, bringing in democracy in April 1994.