Research Articles (History)

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Browsing Research Articles (History) by Author "Ehlers, Anton"

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    Business, state and society - doing business apartheid style : the case of Pep Stores Peninsula Limited
    (North-West University, 2012-01) Ehlers, Anton
    This article uses the Pep Stores Peninsula Ltd case study (1973-1974) as a window on State-Business relationships during apartheid and to highlight the dynamics and outcomes generated by the combination of state controlled ideologically driven race based economic empowerment in tandem with corporate market driven initiatives. In the process it also sheds light on the role of Business during apartheid and the way they negotiated the apartheid context – in this case with specific reference to Coloured economic development and empowerment. The case study also underscores the viewpoint that the roots of black economic empowerment – despite the differences in context, aims and scale - in South Africa stretches back further than the much publicized post-1990 version that currently dominates State – Business relationships and debates
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    The Helpmekaar : rescuing the “volk” through reading, writing and rithmetic, c. 1916–c 1965
    (Historical Association of South Africa, 2015-11) Ehlers, Anton
    This article looks at the establishment and shifting role of the Helpmekaar Society of the Cape Province as welfare catalyst, set up in the aftermath of the Rebellion of 1914-15. Driven by Afrikaner ethnic nationalist motives - it set itself two goals. The immediate aim was to save Afrikaner rebels and their families from financial ruin. The second objective was complicated and changing: to promote the general development, upliftment and welfare of the Dutch-speaking section of the South African population and to develop a distinctive Afrikaans culture. The paper concentrates on the evolution of the second goal into a sharp educational focus aimed at unlocking the potential of Afrikaner youth as a solution to the poor white problem. Because the Helpmekaar was shaped by ideologies of class and race, this analysis engages with a couple of existing historiographical conversations about poor whites, the state, welfarism and also provides a revealing lens into the politics of white education itself. Despite the Helpmekaar's sectional ethnic and racial focus and the accompanying socio-political engineering, it acted as a welfare catalyst that contributed significantly - financially and as lobbyist for educational causes - in effecting educational change; in this regard it benefited a far wider community than was originally intended.
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    Sanlam-amptenare uit die volk gebore om die volk te dien?
    (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2018) Beukes, Wynand; Ehlers, Anton; Verhoef, Grietjie
    Die Suid-Afrikaanse lewensversekeringsmaatskappy Sanlam het in 1918 die lewenslig aanskou te midde van verskeie verweefde ekonomiese, politieke en maatskaplike faktore wat meegewerk het om ’n taamlik stewige stigtingstydperk vir die jong maatskappy te verseker. Op politieke gebied was die stigting aan die opwelling van Afrikanernasionalisme gekoppel (Koen 1986:60- 68; Le Roux 1953:128; Scannell 1968:11). Dié nasionalisme het gepaardgegaan met die stigting van die Nasionale Party (NP) in 1914. Die volksgevoel het ontstaan uit die benarde maatskaplike posisie waarin talle Afrikaners hulle ná die Anglo-Boereoorlog bevind het. Afrikanerleiers het besef dat opheffing slegs moontlik was indien Afrikaners ook ’n aandeel in die sakewêreld verwerf. Dié wete, tesame met die sukses van die Helpmekaarbeweging en die gaping in die bestaande versekeringsbedryf in Suid-Afrika vir ’n lewensversekeringsmaatskappy veral gemik op Afrikaners, het regstreeks tot die stigting van Sanlam gelei. Die maatskappy was hoofsaaklik aanvanklik op die Afrikanermark gemik, maar het uit die staanspoor die hele Suid-Afrikaanse mark bedien. Dit het sakesin gemaak – ’n suksesvolle onderneming in die Suid-Afrikaanse mark wat sy besigheidsfokus direk mik op ’n segment van die samelewing wat grotendeels buite die versekeringsmark gestaan het, en wat terselfdertyd kon bydra tot Afrikaneropheffing. Die vraag wat in hierdie artikel beantwoord word, is in hoeverre dié voorafvermelde konteks en ook veral die Sanlam-slagspreuk “Uit die volk gebore om die volk te dien” in die aanstelling van die eerste amptenare weerspieël is. Het die maatskappy net op wit Afrikaanssprekende NP-ondersteuners staatgemaak om op dreef te kom? Was daar dus genoeg sakekundigheid in eie geledere om dié nuwe Afrikaner-wa deur die eerste drif te kry?