Colonialism and Apartheid: Evils that Destroyed the Traditional Leadership Institution in South Africa

Abstract

Many South Africans and global citizens may have read and spoken about colonialism and apartheid; however, few people understand the extent of damage done to the traditional leadership institution. This lack of understanding has led to the perpetuation of false narratives about the traditional leadership institution and its role in South Africa. This article highlights the destruction done by colonialism and apartheid through an analysis of archived historical material and academic books. Using the critical realism paradigm, the article unpacks the available discourse to reveal fundamental suppositions about and opinions of the custodians of colonialism and apartheid. Contexts such as the arrival of colonials in 1652, expropriation of land, the seizure of the Cape Colony by the British, the migration of Voortrekkers, and the imposition of foreign governance structure on indigenous communities must be considered when assessing colonialism and apartheid. By applying political theory and qualitative content analysis, the article explores how colonialism, through its heinous policies, destroyed the traditional leadership institution, as well as the impact it had on the unity and livelihood of indigenous communities. The study found that, through the apartheid doctrine, colonialism was further entrenched, affirmed, validated, reinforced and consolidated after 1948. To a large extent, current polarisation of the South African society is a result of colonialism and apartheid. The study found that damage caused by colonialism and apartheid is still noticeable today. While colonialism exploited traditional leaders, the postcolonial Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 curtailed their political and judicial powers.