Africanize, verb transitive
- Origin:
- EnglishShow more African noun1 sense 1 + English verb-forming suffix -ize to make (African).
1. To make (a person or organization) more African in character, as by replacing the prevalent western (or ‘White’) ethos, lifestyle, goals, or attitudes of this person or organization with those of Black Africans. Often passive.
- Note:
- Used also in general English.
1970 Survey of Race Rel. (S.A.I.R.R) 24In many smaller towns..there are few Coloured people...An inter-departmental committee had completed an examination of the possibility of reclassifying such of these people as had become Africanized.
1987 Argus 8 July 6Mr Mcanyana also suggested institutions such as Wits should ‘Africanise’ themselves...Academic material must be seen to be addressing the need of indigenous populations.
2. To restructure (an organization) by replacing White employees with Black personnel.
1973 Drum 8 Jan. 10The complete machinery of Bantustans must be Africanised to such an extent that after some years of training we will not need the Whites.
To make (a person or organization) more African in character, as by replacing the prevalent western (or ‘White’) ethos, lifestyle, goals, or attitudes of this person or organization with those of Black Africans. Often passive.
To restructure (an organization) by replacing White employees with Black personnel.
- Derivatives:
- Hence Africanization noun; Africanizing verbal noun.1970 Daily News 14 MayUnderstandably, employers feel they are the best judges of how fast their staff can be promoted and — remembering the chaos that has accompanied over-fast Africanisation in some other countries — proceed cautiously.1991 W. Breytenbach in Sunday Times 6 Jan. 19There are five typical fears: of drastic suffering; of declining law and order; of loss of status and influence; of expendability through Africanisation or affirmative action; and fear of revenge.
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