South African Government Trivia

1. What is the reason that Cecil Rhodes left England for South Africa in 1870?

From Quiz Rhodes - Colossus of Southern Africa

Answer: Ill health

Cecil John Rhodes was born in Bishop's Stortford in 1853 and suffered from ill-health all of his life. He was sent to South Africa, when a teenager, as it was thought the better climate would benefit his fragile health.

From Quiz A - Z of ZA: Politics

Answer: African National Congress

The ANC won the majority of the vote in 1994, 1999 and 2004. It was founded in 1912, was banned in 1960, and unbanned in 1990. Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki have been the presidents of the country, as leaders of the ANC.

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: White

Many people do not know this. His father was Victor Dickenson, a civil servant.

From Quiz Oliver Reginald Tambo

Answer: Mpondo

Although much of the ANC's top brass was Xhosa, Mr. Tambo was born in Mpondoland.

From Quiz Nelson Mandela

Answer: South Africa

Nelson Mandela was born in the small village of Qunu on South Africa's eastern cape in 1918. His father was a respected official in Qunu but later on he lost everything when he failed to complete the orders of a white magistrate.

From Quiz Apartheid and South Africa

Answer: A system or practice that separates people according to race or color

The word "apartheid" was derived from an Afrikaans word meaning "apartness". It was practiced in South Africa between the end of the 1940s and 1992, when it was officially abolished.

From Quiz Jacob Zuma - 100 pc JZ

Answer: Bring me my Machine Gun (Umshini Wami)

"Bring me my Machine Gun" is a song popularized by Umkhonto weSizwe's (MK) members during the apartheid years. MK was the armed wing of the ANC. JZ says that the song is about solidarity and remembering the struggles. His opponents say that calling for machine guns has no relevance in a democratic country, other than to cause violence. "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" is the national anthem of South Africa.

From Quiz Rhodes - Colossus of Southern Africa

Answer: Oxford University

Rhodes graduated in 1881 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He only spent two terms at Oxford in 1873 before ill-health forced his return to South Africa. His studies were postponed and from 1874 onwards Rhodes travelled back and forth between England and South Africa, studying for short periods at Oxford until he graduated some eight years later. It was whilst he was at Oxford that he attended John Ruskin's inaugural lecture, which turned his thoughts towards British Imperialism. Rhodes had earlier argued for Irish Home Rule.

From Quiz A - Z of ZA: Politics

Answer: Steve Biko

Steve Biko helped found the South African Students' Organisation in 1968, which evolved into the Black Consciousness Movement. He played a role in organizing the Soweto Riots in 1976. The other names are made up.

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: Xhosa-- Transkei

While much of the ANC's leadership was Xhosa, Chief Lutuli was Zulu.

From Quiz Oliver Reginald Tambo

Answer: He was in a strike against the student government.

He was expelled along with Nelson Mandela and others.

From Quiz Jacob Zuma - 100 pc JZ

Answer: 2 wives, 1 ex-wife, 1 late wife, 2 fiancées, 18 children

JZ is a committed polygamist. His first wife, Sizakele Khumalo, (no children), lives at his home-stead. Wife number two, cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, (4 children), divorced him in 1998. Wife number three, Kate Zuma, (5 children), committed suicide in 2000. Wife number four, Nompumelelo MaNtuli, (2 children), is his "city-wife". He has paid lobolo for two fiancées, one of which is the mother of two of his children. The balance of his children were born to girlfriends. He is rumored to have more children, but this has not been confirmed.

From Quiz Rhodes - Colossus of Southern Africa

Answer: De Beers Mining Company

De Beers today controls approximately 60% of the world diamond market. The company was named after the De Beer brothers who originally owned the farm that the diamonds were found on. They were elated to receive £6300, for the rather unproductive farm, having bought it from the Government 11 years earlier for £50.

From Quiz A - Z of ZA: Politics

Answer: Communist Party

The Communist Party of South Africa was founded in 1921, and was supported mainly by white miners. In 1924, they re-organised and "Africanised" the party. They have since built up a substantial black following, and are known as the South African Communist Party. The Communist party does not stand for election, although some of their members are in parliament due to dual membership with the ANC.

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: Standard 4 (6th grade)

"Whenever I cast my mind back I am struck by Xhamela's qualities. He had little formal education - he left school after standard four." - Nelson Mandela

From Quiz Oliver Reginald Tambo

Answer: Adelaide

They were married in December 1956 during a recess from the Treason Trial.

From Quiz Nelson Mandela

Answer: F.W. De Klerk

F.W. De Klerk freed Nelson Mandela on February 11, 1990. Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk set up the first multi-racial governement and later organized the first multiracial elections in South Africa.

From Quiz Jacob Zuma - 100 pc JZ

Answer: Her style of dress showed she wanted sex, and as a Zulu man he had to satisfy her

Quotes from Zuma's trial: "She normally came to me wearing pants, but on that day she had on a skirt and she was sitting in a way that was not usual. Under normal circumstances, if a woman is dressed in a skirt, she will sit properly with her legs together. But she [the rape complainant] crossed her legs and wouldn't even mind if the skirt was raised very much," and "I was taught that leaving a woman in that state [sexually aroused] was the worst thing a [Zulu] man can do. She could even have you arrested and charged with rape." These statements angered many women's rights groups. During the trial, JZ's supporters would rally in front of the court, calling for the death of the complainant. Quotes from http://www.southafrica.to/people/Quotes/JacobZuma/JacobZuma.htm

From Quiz Rhodes - Colossus of Southern Africa

Answer: Prime Minister

Rhodes represented Barkly West from 1880 until his death in 1902. Rhodes envisaged a union of South African states, united under the British flag. To this end he set about uniting the English and the Boers. One way he did this was to restrict African access to education and to owning property in 1892. In 1894 he set up a new system of "native administration".

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: In a dairy

He left for Johannesburg at age 15 after the death of his uncle in order to support his family. For more information on the various jobs he held, go to: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/people/sisulu/biography.html

From Quiz Nelson Mandela

Answer: Robben Island

In 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, where he remained until his release in February 1990. In total, he was imprisoned for 27 years and 8 months.

From Quiz Jacob Zuma - 100 pc JZ

Answer: He had a shower after sex

Yes - he took a shower, claiming that it would minimize the risk of getting HIV. The irony is that in his election speech, he called for AIDS to be treated as a national emergency. He was also the head of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on AIDS, before his dismissal from his post as deputy president.

From Quiz A - Z of ZA: Politics

Answer: Only at fee-free schools, in identified poverty-stricken areas

Officially, no child can be refused entry into a school, or results at the end of the year, due to non-payment, however this is not often adhered to. Some schools will allow discounts for poorer pupils. School fees for government schools vary from a few hundred rand for poorer areas to over R 10 000.00 for upper income areas.

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: treasurer

He founded the Youth League in 1944 along with Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Peter Mda, Anton Lembede, and many others.

From Quiz Oliver Reginald Tambo

Answer: Nelson Mandela

It was the only law firm available where both of the lawyers were African, and almost always it was nearly impossible for them to get to their offices.

From Quiz Nelson Mandela

Answer: 1918

Nelson Mandela lived with his family until 1927, when his father died.

From Quiz Rhodes - Colossus of Southern Africa

Answer: Zimbabwe and Zambia

Rhodes set up the British South Africa Company which in 1889 received the Royal Charter which, amongst other things, enabled it to keep its own police force. With one eye on his imperialistic dreams and the other on business interests, using cunning and trickery he persuaded Lobengula, King of the Matabele to cede the British South Africa Company the sole rights to mine in his lands. Rhodesia, known today as Zimbabwe, began to be colonised by white settlers and Rhodes using the terms in the Royal Charter, quelled any unrest by the Africans and pushed on to establish Northern Rhodesia, known today as Zambia. He dreamt of a railway that ran from Cape Town to Cairo with a swathe of British controlled land either side.

From Quiz A - Z of ZA: Politics

Answer: Freedom Front Plus

The Freedom Front Plus is a merger between the Conservative Party, the Afrikaner Eenheids Beweging and the Freedom Front. In the 2004 general election, it won four seats on the National Assembly.

From Quiz Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu

Answer: Albertina Thetiwa

Adelaide Tshukudu Tambo was Oliver Tambo's wife. Albertina Sisulu was widely known as an ANC activist while Walter was on Robben Island.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:47 AM

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