Hendrick Verwoerd on Separate Development: 1960

Transcript of the above video / speech of Dr. H F Verwoerd

The tendency in Africa for nations to become independent, and at the same time to do justice to all, does not only mean being just to the Black man of Africa, but also to be just to the White man of Africa.

We call ourselves Europeans. But actually, we represent the White men of Africa. They are the people, not only in the Union, but through major portions of Africa, who brought civilization here, who made the present developments of Black Nationalism possible by bringing them education, by showing them this way of life, by bringing them industry or development, by bringing in the ideals which Western Civilization has developed itself.

When the White man came to Africa, perhaps to trade in some cases, perhaps to bring the gospel, has remained to stay. And particularly we, in this Southern-most portion in Africa, have such a stake here, that this is our only Motherland, we have no where else to go.

We settled a country bare. And the Bantu came in this country and settled certain portions for themselves.

And it's in lying with the thinking of Africa to grant those fullest rights which we also with you admit all people should have, we believe, in providing those rights for those people in the fullest degree in that part of Southern Africa which their forefathers found for themselves and settled in. But similarly, we believe in balance. We believe in allowing exactly those same full opportunities to remain within the grasp of the White man who has made all this possible.