Answer:
It changed their thoughts and viewpoints. Originally they wanted control over South Africa because it was one of the trade routes to India but after the discovery of diamonds, they insisted that Africans should have rights.
Explanation:
The discovery of diamonds in 1869 and of gold in 1886 changed the South African economy significantly. Not only was South Africa drawn into the international economy through its exports, primarily diamonds and gold, and through its increasing demand for a variety of agricultural imports, But they also managed to capture the attention of the British who became much more interested in South Africa after the discovery of diamonds. The British had already wanted to control South Africa because it was one of the trade routes to India. However, when gold and diamonds were discovered in the 1860s-1880s their interest in the region increased. The British now insisted that Africans should have rights, so they fought several wars with African peoples in the 1870s and effectively broke the power of the Zulus. In the end the discovery of diamonds would help widened the gap between African chiefs and their people. It changed African economies and made them dependent on trade with Britain. The British invested in the development of roads and railways. They brought new ideas about education and medicine British officials generally treated the Africans better than the settlers who were left behind when the British pulled out. The British were also generally more tolerant of local religions and customs than other European rulers.
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