When was South Africa taken over?

South Africa was colonized in the mid-17th century when the Dutch established a refreshment station at Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Over the years, British interests grew, leading to multiple conflicts, including the Anglo-Zulu War and the Boer Wars. The country officially became a British colony in the early 20th century and gained full independence in 1961, although it maintained a system of apartheid until the early 1990s. The transition to a democratic government occurred in 1994, marking a significant change in governance.