WI: Larger bantustans?

[abc123]

South Africa could simply have seized Swaziland, Lesotho, and Bechuanaland from Britain if they had tried. All of those protectorates were indefensible from South Africa, and none had any connection to Britain except through South Africa.

But what would they get by doeing that? Even larger number of Africans- the whole idea of Apartheid was to decrease the number of them in SA and so legitimise white-rule in SA.
Not to mention that the whole world would be against that and that the population of said territories would be very against and you could only expect mutinies and unrest there.

 

[Marius]

South Africa could simply have seized Swaziland, Lesotho, and Bechuanaland from Britain if they had tried. All of those protectorates were indefensible from South Africa, and none had any connection to Britain except through South Africa.

Did you even read what I wrote?

 

[Alex Richards]

Southern Rhodesia was not a member of SACU.

It was part of the 1903 SACU Agreement which provided much of the impetus to create the Union of South Africa, but unlike the other independent members did not join the 1910 recreation of the organisation.

 

[Marius]

It was part of the 1903 SACU Agreement which provided much of the impetus to create the Union of South Africa, but unlike the other independent members did not join the 1910 recreation of the organisation.

You're right. Apologies.

 

[Reagent]

Are you talking about the initial Bechuanaland Protectorate?

Yes, though I realize that this is partially incorrect, as the portion of Bophuthatswana that came from Transvaal was never part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate

 

[Alex Richards]

You're right. Apologies.

No problem.

 

[Reagent]

I know it has been roughly half a year, but I found an interesting resource that could be somewhat pertinent to this discussion (though some demographic aspects have changed, notably the White population making up a larger slice of the population)

http://dotmap.adrianfrith.com/

This shows some rather interesting population dynamics in South Africa, especially in the cities.

This makes me wonder, if the Apartheid Government could have tried "gerrymandering" the border by cutting cities in half (between the Whites and rest). Here is Bloemfontein as an example:

Since the African population is concentrated heavily in part of the city (likely former townships), if the Apartheid government were to assign that part of Bloemfontein to the Bantustan, the rest of Bloemfontein would have a strong White majority (or something much closer to approaching that).

If the South African Government were to attempt this sort of gerrymandering, I wonder if it would be possible to make a White Majority South Africa (albiet, with some of the most hideous borders in the world)

 

[Francisco Cojuanco]

You would need to keep the Coloureds in South Africa, though, as they considered them South African nationals, and indeed represented them in the Tricameral Parliament.

 

[Reagent]

You would need to keep the Coloureds in South Africa, though, as they considered them South African nationals, and indeed represented them in the Tricameral Parliament.

True, but the fundamental principle remains the same. (that being said, some Coloureds, Whites, and Asians did end up in the Bantustans IOTL)