<P> Scientists researching the periods before written historical records were made have established that the territory of what is now referred to generically as South Africa was one of the important centers of human evolution . It was inhabited by Australopithecines since at least 2.5 million years ago . Modern human settlement occurred around 125,000 years ago in the Middle Stone Age , as shown by archaeological discoveries at Klasies River Caves . The first human habitation is associated with a DNA group originating in a northwestern area of southern Africa and still prevalent in the indigenous Khoisan ( Khoi and San ) . Southern Africa was reached later by the migration of the ethnically different , dark - skinned , Bantu - speaking or African people originating in the northwestern region of southern Africa during the early centuries AD . </P>
<P> Scientists researching the periods before written historical records were made have established that the territory of what is now referred to generically as South Africa was one of the important centers of human evolution . It was inhabited by Australopithecines since at least 2.5 million years ago . Modern human settlement occurred around 125,000 years ago in the Middle Stone Age , as shown by archaeological discoveries at Klasies River Caves . The first human habitation is associated with a DNA group originating in a northwestern area of southern Africa and still prevalent in the indigenous Khoisan ( Khoi and San ) . Southern Africa was reached later by the migration of the ethnically different , dark - skinned , Bantu - speaking or African people originating in the northwestern region of southern Africa during the early centuries AD . </P>
who was the first people in south africa
who was the first people in south africa
Australopithecines
Australopithecines