Until the early 1990s, Black South Africans were segregated from White South Africans. During this time, Black people were subject to harsh, strict, and violent laws. While that period of South Africa’s history is over, there are still things that remain from this painful past. Now, one dive instructor is trying to change that.
The Black Mermaid Foundation
Zandile Ndhlovu is South Africa’s first black and female freediving instructor. Ndhlovu, 33, first fell in love with the ocean after snorkeling while on vacation in Bali in 2016. The following year after getting her scuba diving certificate, she received her instructor certificate in free diving with no equipment.
In 2020, Ndhlovu created the Black Mermaid Foundation. Her foundation hopes to introduce Black South African children to the ocean and swimming through beach trips. The youth in the Black Mermaid Foundation come from poor neighborhoods known as shanty townships. Beach trips and learning how to swim are two luxuries they may never get to experience if it wasn’t for the foundation.
Free diver Zandile Ndhlovu encourages a township youth to explore the marine world during a lesson off Simonstown, near Cape Town. Source: REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
Ndhlovu left her own consulting business to run her foundation. “The water space has not always been diverse, and I wanted to create a space where diverse representation in the ocean is possible,” stated Ndhlovu. She hopes to create a space where the underserved youth in her community can feel comfortable. For the children in the foundation, Ndhlovu has taught them to overcome their fear and enjoy the water. One student said that the foundation has taught him to not “be scared, and learn to be brave.” Another child, Siyamila Tukani, stated that “Zandile teaches us to swim and know everything in the sea.” For these children, the Black Mermaid Foundation gave them a chance to experience the sea and learn more about their natural environments. Today, the Black Mermaid Foundation is paying for the children’s lessons on their own, but they hope to look for funders to make sure their foundation is here to stay.
It wasn’t too long ago that in South Africa, many beaches were closed to Black people. Similar to the segregation in American history, apartheid in South Africa forced Black South Africans to live under a government that treated them completely different than White South Africans.
Pre-Apartheid History in South Africa
In 1652, many African countries were taken over or colonized by European countries such as Great Britain, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium. South Africa, which is located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa, was colonized by the Dutch from the Netherlands in 1652. In 1815, the country was colonized again, this time by the British. Both countries used South Africa as a base for trading along the spice route to Asia. These European countries showed no respect for the natives that had been living there for more than 100,000 years. Additionally, wars between the Dutch and British broke out including the Boer Wars in the late 1800s. Although these wars were between the Dutch and British for control of the land, Black South Africans were affected and suffered. Eventually the British won, and maintained control of South Africa.
Because of the colonization of South Africa, the country’s population was a mix of Black South Africans, the majority of the population, and a minority of White South Africans. In 1910, South Africa became independent, and named its country the Union of South Africa. Unfortunately, this new government would not be for all South Africans. The government was made up of White South Africans from different political backgrounds, and despite White South Africans only making up 20% of the country, they controlled every role in government and had all the power. With this power, the minority put into place segregation laws that kept Black and non-white South Africans separate from White South Africans. Some of these laws included denying voting rights and only letting them live on 8% of South Africa’s land.
Apartheid & the Long Walk to Freedom
Wanting to win the 1948 election the National Party of South Africa promised that if they were to win, they would limit the freedom of Black South Africans. After winning, the National Party official launched their ruling system known as “apartheid,” which is a Dutch word that means “apartness” or “the state of being apart”. In this system all non-white people including Black Africans, Asians, and mixed-race people were to be separated from White Africans. Apartheid had many racial segregation laws, including: banning marriage between white and non-white people, forcing non-white people to carry identification papers, requiring a curfew, creating separate public spaces for different races such as separate schools, and beaches as well as banning non-white people from participating in government. Many times the facilities for non-white people were smaller, low quality, and even harder to get to.
In response to the National Party’s apartheid government, the African National Congress (ANC) was formed as a Black nationalist organization to take a stand and fight against the harsh treatment of Black South Africans. The ANC began the Defiance Campaign in 1952. This was a movement of peaceful protest against apartheid. The protest included marches, and acts of defiance such as Black South Africans sitting on benches that were only for white people, and staying out past curfew. During this time Nelson Mandela, a top member of the ANC started the first Black legal firm in South Africa to represent the country’s Black citizens. Eventually Mandela became one of the most well known figures in the anti-apartheid movement.
The protesting of the ANC was initially peaceful. Eventually as things began to get worse, and White South Africans continued to tighten their control over Black South Africans, Mandela and others in ANC believed that violence would be needed in order to end apartheid. The group planned to carry out bombings on military and public buildings at night when people were not there. Mandela was even arrested in 1956 and charged with high treason, but was eventually found not guilty.
On August 5, 1962 Mandela was arrested again along with other activists for bombings and planning to overthrow the government. Mandela was sentenced to life in prison, Mandela would spend his next 27 years in prison, most of his sentence was spent on Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. While in prison the anti-apartheid movement continued in part because of the leadership of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s wife. Along with Winnie Mandela, Steve Biko also helped with keeping the movement alive until he was killed in police custody in 1977. In the 1970s, Mandela became South Africa’s national symbol of the oppression Black South Africans were facing. The anti-apartheid and “Free Nelson Mandela” movement had reached a global scale and in 1974, South Africa was removed from the United Nations, and would not be allowed back in until apartheid was ended.
While Mandela was in prison, a violent wave of protest broke out across the country. In 1990 the violence between Black and White South Africans became too much and South African President Willem de Klerk decided to release Nelson Mandela. On February 11, 1990 after being in prison for 27 years, Mandela was released. This was not the end of apartheid in the country and after being released Mandela met with President de Klerk as well as other officials from the government to come to an agreement on how to end apartheid. While many were upset with Mandela’s decision to work with the government, for Mandela, non-violence and working alongside the government would be the only way to end apartheid in his country.
Nelson Mandela, accompanied by his wife Winnie, walks out of the Victor Verster prison, near Cape Town, on February 11, 1990 after spending 27 years in apartheid jails. Source: REUTERS/Ulli Michel
Mandela spent many years giving speeches, encouraging peace, non-violence and an end to apartheid, along with continued discussion with the government on how to end apartheid. He believed that all people no matter the color of their skin deserved to be treated fairly and to have equal rights. In April 1994, South Africa held its first election with Black and non-white voters. Black South Africans showed up to the polls in huge numbers and powered Nelson Mandela to the presidency. On May 10, 1994, Mandela became the first Black president of South Africa. This date also marked the end of apartheid.
Apartheid was a painful part of South Africa’s history. While South Africa has taken great steps, there are still things left from that period that continue to affect the country. People like Zandile Ndhlovu are doing their part to create opportunities for the underserved of South Africa, and she is also making sure the country will continue to move forward and be a place that is equitable for all its citizens.
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