A Brief History of South Africa

• 1488- The Portuguese are the first Europeans to reach the Cape of Good Hope
• 1652-  The Dutch East India Company establishes a provisioning station on the Cape,beginning permanent  settlement 
• End of 18th century- British gain control of the Cape of Good Hope. Subsequent British settlement and rule would mark the beginning of a long conflict between the Afrikaners and the English.
• 1948- The National Party (NP) won the all-white elections and began passing legislation codifying and enforcing an even stricter policy of white domination and racial separation known as "apartheid" (separateness). 
•  May 1961- South Africa abandons its British dominion status and declares itself a republic
• April 1994- The country's first nonracial elections are held, resulting in the installation of Nelson Mandela as President on May 10, 1994.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2898.htm#history