Jaren Sigamoney History Essay Draft
Jaren Sigamoney History Essay Draft

Jaren Sigamoney History Essay Draft

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  • Pages: 9 (2285 words)
  • Published: March 1, 2022
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Heritage is all of our inherited traditions, religion, and culture.  Most importantly, it is the range of traditional and activities that we draw from them. Heritage is what binds us to our families and gives a person a sense of belonging. The year 1994 carries major changes that will go down in history forever. Prior to 1994 South Africa was a country that practiced apartheid. Apartheid was an era that treated non-white people unfairly and in a derogative manner. 1994 brought about the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa. This new change stood for reconciliation and healing which was the dream of Nelson Mandela for South Africa.

The African National Congress (ANC) government came into power in 1994 where they introduced democracy amongst the people and they lead the country with Nelson Mandela as president d

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own a road of many changes that gave recognition to all people that fought in the Apartheid struggle to both black and white people. The ANC put in new laws that acknowledged the many people that died for this cause. They were honoured by name changes of roads, airports, towns and provinces that gave these people the glory they deserved. It was ensured that monuments and heritage sites were established in remembrance for those who fought for freedom from apartheid in South Africa. In the year 2001 the road name DF Malan Drive was changed to Beyers Naude Drive. This for me stood out significantly because although the ANC is a majority black government, they did not show any hatred towards the white man and acknowledged Christiaan Frederick Beyers Naude for the role that he played in the abolishment of apartheid.

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original name was used to honour Daniel Francois Malan during Apartheid. The road DF Malan Drive was named after the prime minister of South Africa Daniel Francois Malan. DF Malan was born on the 22nd of May 1874 in Riebeek-Wes, Cape Colony. DF Malan was educated at Victoria college in Stellenbosch and went to the university of Utretcht. At university he earned a doctorate in divinity in 1905. He returned to the Cape to enter the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church. DF Malan started as a Politician In the year 1918 and worked his way up to become the prime minister of South Africa from 1948 to 1954. He represented the national party. He died on the 7th of February 1959, age 84. He died in Stellenbosch, Cape Province, South Africa. DF Malan played a huge role in the establishment. He formed the first exclusive Afrikaner government of South Africa.

His objective was to secure white (particularly Afrikaner) rule for all time. The basic components of his strategy were the full separation of the racial groups (as defined under apartheid policies) in South Africa, including the establishment of separate residential and business sections in urban areas for each race, the ban on interracial marriages, the establishment of separate educational standards that disadvantaged black people, the removal of the black Africans Representative Council, and the exclusion of coloured people. The government’s attempt to remove Coloured people from the rolls in 1951 which was declared invalid by the courts in 1952, so Malan bade his time, working to build broader support, which became nearer after the National Party increased its majority in the 1953 elections. Malan’s resignation

in November 1954 was timed so that. Nicolaas Christiaan Havenga who served as Finance Minister in the government would be his successor as Prime Minister.

This plan failed by the supporters of the more favoured Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, who succeeded Malan as head of the National Party and then assumed the office of prime minister. Strijdom and later successors continued to implement the apartheid policies begun in Malan’s administration. D. F. Malan was a hard-working minister.  He was ordained in the Dutch Reformed Church in 1905.  His doctorate earned him immense respect within the Afrikaner population.  From very early in his career, he was committed to the cause of Afrikaner nationalism.  Much of his work was motivated by the predicament of the “poor whites.”  After the Anglo-Boer Wars, poverty was widespread in the Afrikaner community. Many poor white people lived among the coloured people. This infuriated him to witness how those who grew up playing with the children of their coloured neighbours became absorbed into the coloured community with some even marrying coloured people and leaving the whites only Dutch Reformed Church for the multi-racial Mission Churches. In Malan’s eyes, Afrikaners would only prosper when they elevated themselves to their proper place of superiority alongside the people of British ancestry in South Africa. In 2001 the government decided on a new name that would be more appropriate in the new South Africa.

Beyers Naudé was born in Roodepoort in Johannesburg, on 10 May 1915. Naudé was one of eight children and was born into a family that supported Afrikaner nationalism. His father was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and was a founding member of the Afrikaner secret society aimed at promoting Afrikaner

nationalism. In 1921, he moved with his family to the Eastern Cape. Here Naude matriculated at the Afrikaans HoĂ«r Volkskool in 1931 before following in his father's footsteps by study theology at the University of Stellenbosch. He received his degree in 1939 and completed a master’s degree in languages. He also joined the Broederbond the secret society created by his father. He was 25 years old at the time and he was the youngest member. In 1940 he was selected to be the Assistant-Minister at the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in Wellington, Cape Town.

In August of the same year he married Ilse Weder, the daughter of a Moravian missionary. For the next twenty years Beyers Naudé attended to various congregations across the country. He followed the political ideas of the National Party, but the Sharpeville Massacre which happened on the 21 March 1960 at a police station, whereby white policeman opened fire on a group of black people demonstrating against the laws. It was here that about 250 black people were killed or wounded. It was the first most violent act against black people. This brought about a massive change of heart to Beyers Naude. He had already begun to question the principles of apartheid after witnessing the destruction of Black family life under the South African migrant labour system. He was very conflicted and did not agree with his friends and peers on their beliefs and decision regarding apartheid. In 1963 he resigned from the Broederbond after 22 years of membership.

He was considered to be traitor and was rejected by the afrikaaner community. Naudé was forced to resign as minister. In October 1977, Naude and his Christian Organization

were banned. Despite the continual persecution he established a ministry to council pastors. He was not allowed to leave his house or speak to more than one person at a time. He continued to speak to other anti-apartheid activists like Archbishop Desmond Tutu. After hearing F W De Klerk’s speech in 1994, declaring a new South Africa, he said 'Gee, at last! What I had dreamt, hoped and worked for is becoming a reality. ‘The demise of apartheid and the move to democracy turned Naude from enemy to hero. President Nelson Mandela called him a “living spring of hope for racial reconciliation, His life is a shining beacon to all South Africans” – both Black and White. It demonstrates what it means to rise above race, to be a true South African. Beyers Naude drive was adopted for various reasons.

There have been disagreements with the government’s reasons for changing the name DF Malan drive. In 2001 The Johannesburg City Administration changed the name of DF Malan Drive to Beyers Naudé Drive. Also, it changed the name of the Library Gardens to Beyers Naudé Square in order to honour Beyers NaudĂ©. Johannesburg's executive mayor, Amos Masondo, said: “this gesture was one small way to recognise a person who had made a significant contribution to the transformation of South African society, thereby making the country a better place for everyone”. D F Malan Drive was chosen for the name change because it is the road closest to Beyers' former congregation of Aasvoelkop in Northcliff. Johannesburg. The abolishment of Apartheid brought about a huge shift in South African history and heritages.

The name change of the street name DF Malan Drive to Beyers Naude drive was one of them. Purely because it

represents out with Apartheid and in with democracy. Amongst the south African people, it stirred huge conflict. Many citizens felt that it was not necessary to go into the huge expense of name changes. This cost the government huge sums of money from actual street boards being made, to map changes and to cost companies money too change their address names on stationery etc. However, on the flip side of the coin, many other citizens supported these name changes because they felt the old name stood for the recognition of the Apartheid regime that was oppressive. The change of street names brought about a change of heritage.

This affected many people emotionally as it felt like they were losing their heritage. On the other hand, many embraced this new change as they too did not agree with the ideas of Apartheid and were ready to go ahead and create a new heritage as a rainbow nation. The change of street names amongst other things, brought about conflicting feelings. Amongst the white population there was definite unhappiness because it meant losing their past history. Those white people that agreed with the apartheid laws became disgruntled and unhappy, but on the other hand the black population together with those white people who did not agree with apartheid embraced and saw the need for such changes take place. The need to include all citizens in the country became the focus. This brought great joy to the other races that they were also being included, acknowledged and recognised now. Many white people chose to leave the country which impacted the economy of South Africa as many left taking their knowledge

and skills with them. Changes to SA heritage have been made according to the new Constitution.

The government changed DF Malan drive to fulfill the values of the new Constitution. The constitution acknowledges people like Beyers Naude who also fought for democratic rights for all citizens. The constitution acknowledges fairness and justice to be put in place for the best of all the people. Dignity, respect and recognition to all citizens and especially to those that played a role in fighting for a new South Africa. Beyers Naude was one of those people fighting for a new south Africa trying to fight against inequality. It helped people realise that apartheid was finally over and they had freedom. Just a simple name change showed the significance of a man fighting for the rights for others. This showed that there were some white people at the time fighting for others and not themselves. These name changes brought people together because it showed that not all white people were against the other races and many races showed up to see DF Malan drives name being changed to Beyers Naude. This showed that South Africa had finally made a rainbow nation and that everyone has equal rights.

Heritage is all of our inherited traditions, religion, and culture.  Most importantly, it is the range of traditional activities and behaviours that we draw from them. Heritage is what binds us to our families and gives a person a sense of belonging. The year 1994 carries major changes that will go down in history forever. Prior to 1994 South Africa was a country that practiced apartheid. Apartheid was an era that treated non-white people unfairly and

in a derogative manner. 1994 brought about the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa. This new change stood for reconciliation and healing which was the dream of Nelson Mandela for South Africa. The African National Congress (ANC) government came into power in 1994 where they introduced democracy amongst the people and they lead the country with Nelson Mandela as president down a road of many changes that gave recognition to all people that fought in the Apartheid struggle to both black and white people.

The ANC put in new laws that acknowledged the many people that died for this cause. They were honoured by name changes of roads, airports, towns and provinces that gave these people the glory they deserved. It was ensured that monuments and heritage sites were established in remembrance for those who fought for freedom from apartheid in South Africa. In the year 2001 the road name DF Malan Drive was changed to Beyers Naude Drive. This for me stood out significantly because although the ANC is a majority black government, they did not show any hatred towards the white man and acknowledged Christiaan Frederick Beyers Naude for the role that he played in the abolishment of apartheid. I feel like name changes were more than just a name being changed and that the South African history being changed for all people of the land shows that everyone can live together peacefully and in harmony. This also a reflection on the character of Nelson Mandela who took the high road and made a democratic country instead of a reverse apartheid and did not have hatred in his heart for those who hurt him

and the black citizens of South Africa.

Bibliography

  1. Sun.ac.za. 2020. Beyers Naudé: The Person. [online] Available at: [Accessed 16 June 2020].
  2. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2020. Daniel F. Malan | South African Politician. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 June 2020].
  3. News24. 2020. DF Malan Drive Renamed | News24. [online] Available at: [Accessed 16 June 2020].
  4. Sahistory.org.za. 2020. Reverend Beyers Naudé | South African History Online. [online] Available at: [Accessed 16 June 2020].
  5. Iol.co.za. 2020. Square, Major Road Named After Beyers Naude. [online] Available at: [Accessed 16 June 2020].
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