The Chinese are officially declared "black" in South Africa?

The Times reports:

"In a landmark ruling the Pretoria High Court accepted the Chinese as a “previously disadvantaged” group. This means that – at least in legal terms – Chinese South Africans will now be included in the definition of black people in legislation covering lucrative black economic empowerment (BEE) deals."

According the article, Chinese came to South Africa in the 1870s to mine gold and under the white minority rule they were classified as Coloureds. They will be entitled to a certain percentage of equity in companies, which will be a move to reverse decades of apartheid bias.

Critics say this is just another way for China to make deals with corrupt leaders, which, in the long run, will not be in the best interest of South Africa. READ MORE...

Chinese in South Africa

47 million Population of South Africa

20,000 Estimated number of people with Chinese origins

63,000 Chinese labourers who were sent to revive the South African gold mines in 1904

Sources: Colour, Confusion and Concessions: The History of the Chinese in South Africa by Melanie Yap and Dianne Leong Man