South Africa

The earliest representatives of South Africa's diversity, at least the earliest we can name – were the San and Khoekhoe peoples (otherwise known individually as the Bushmen and Hottentots or Khoikhoi; collectively called the Khoisan). Both were resident in the southern tip of the continent for thousands of years before its written history began with the arrival of European seafarers. The hunter-gatherer San ranged widely over the area; the pastoral Khoekhoe lived in those comparatively well-watered areas, chiefly along the southern and western coastal strips, where adequate grazing was to be found. So it was with the latter that the early European settlers first came into contact – much to the disadvantage of the Khoekhoe.

As a result of diseases such as smallpox imported by the Europeans, of some assimilation with the settlers and especially with the slaves who were to arrive in later years, and of some straightforward extermination, the Khoekhoe have effectively disappeared as an identifiable group. Other long-term inhabitants of the area that was to become South Africa were the Bantu-speaking people who had moved into the north-eastern and eastern regions from the north during the 15th century - more or less at the time Vasco da Gama set afoot in what is now known as St. Helena. Over time the black tribes started moving further South and the European Colony started by Jan van Riebeeck started expanding to the North. This mass movement of people towards each other will later lead to war and many bloody battles - the root cause of much ethnic troubles lasting for centuries. South Africa is a rich multi cultural society made up of various ethnic groups and the only country in the world with eleven official languages. Read more about South Africa;
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South Africa is our home country where we were born and grew up - clearly we will be biased in our opinions. However, there are untold wonderful things to be found in South Africa - the people, the cultures, food, supplies, nature and wildlife ... the list is endless.

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The emergence of reverse apartheid, the exceptionally high crime rate, the inefficiencies of government departments, corrupt politicians, our weak currency and a whole range of other issues.

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