• Africans lost their political independence after the discovery of minerals.

• The originally strong African societies such as the Ndebele,
  the Zulu, and Swazi were defeated militarily and put under
  the British control.
• Conflicts between the Boers and British increased. Each of
  these Europeans wanted to control the rich mineral area
  hence the first and second Anglo –boar wars
• Scramble and partition for South Africa increased. There
  was a hope that areas near mines also contained the
  minerals hence the rush to colonies such territories by the
  whites.
• The British desire to federate South African white states
  increased. They wanted to join the British states and the
  Boer states in South Africa.
• Many Africans from all parts of the country migrated to
  mines in search for employment opportunities. The
  industries in the mines provided jobs which attracted many
  Africans from surrounding areas.
• The price and value of land in diamond rich areas
  increased. Prices of plots of land increased in and mineral
  areas.
• Mineral discovery improved on transport and
  communication. Railways and roads were constructed to
  transport minerals. For example in 1887 Transvaal was
  connected by rail to Delgeo bay and Pretoria.
• Led to quick urbanizations in the interior of South Africa
  Towns developed as a result of the increased economic
  activities arising from the discovery of minerals.
• It led to quick industrialization in the interior of South
  Africa as a result of mineral exploitation. industries and factories strung in mineral areas For example smelting industries

• Commercial agriculture developed as many Europeans
  settled in the interior of South Africa. This created market
  for food products of the Africans.
• Africans who were employed in the mines were given low
  wages as compared to the whites.
  13.Mineral discovery provided a new source of wealth. Before
  the discovery of minerals, agriculture was the only source
  of employment
• Led to modernization of agriculture. There was quick
  introduction of commercialized agriculture in the interior of
  South Africa. Whites set up large farms to supply food
  staffs to the increasing population in the mines.
  15.Money took over cattle and land as a measure of value and
  wealth among blacks in towns.
• A cash economy was introduced to replace the substance
  sector. In fact everything become money based.
• The mineral wealth made the cape stronger and hence less
  dependent on British government at home.
• There was discrimination of Africans in the mines .They
  did unskilled labour while good work was left for the poor
  whites.
• There was break down of African cultural norms.The youth
  who were employed in the mines stopped respecting their
  tradition leaders.

• Family unity was broken with the discovery of minerals.
  This is because men left their families in villages and went
  to mines for employment.
• It led to the introduction of new cultures in the interior of
  South Africa .For example foreign languages; dressing,
  eating and prostitution were adopted by the Africans in
  mines and towns.
• It promoted massive European immigration into the interior
  of South Africa. For example Utilanders migrated from
  Britain and Australia to share the mineral wealth.
• A strong foundation for African nationalism was laid by the
  mineral discovery .The Africans who worked in mines
  acquired wealth which they used to finance the Nationalist
  Movements.

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