I've heard the Ian Smith argument, that they were the "happiest blacks in Africa." I've heard the Mugabe argument, that Rhodesia was just as bad as apartheid.
If we could avoid religitating the [Lancaster House Agreement] (http://www.zimlii.org/files/Zimbabwe_1_Lancaster_House_Agreement_0.pdf), I'd be grateful.
If any commenter lived in Rhodesia and can show proof, request that the mods treat them as a primary source.
If its okay I'm going to point you in the direction of a very long answer I wrote recently on the realities of racial discrimination in Rhodesia under minority rule. That is a fairly good answer as to what life was like for Africans under white rule.
If you have any specific questions though, feel free to ask away. Otherwise there are plenty more posts in my comments history which also deal with Southern Rhodesia and the issue of race - I am after all the resident Zimbabweanist around here!