Apartheid

Long ago, things were unfair in South Africa.

A system called apartheid kept people apart. It was based on how people looked.

Laws said people could not live together. Many people were forced from their homes. They had to move to new places.

This made life very hard for many. Many people fought to change these laws. They wanted everyone to be equal.

Leaders worked to end the unfair rules. Finally, new elections were held. Now, people can vote together. This helped make the land more fair.

Apartheid was a system of unfair laws in South Africa.

These laws kept people apart based on their race. The ruling white minority held most of the power. They made rules to keep different groups separate.

Some laws were about daily life. They kept people from using the same parks or buildings. Other laws were much bigger. They controlled where people could live and work. The government even said who could marry.

Between 1960 and 1983, many people lost their homes. About 3.5 million black Africans were forced to move. They were sent to special areas called bantustans. This was a very hard time for many families.

Many people fought against these laws. They wanted a fair country for everyone. The world also spoke out against apartheid. In 1990, the leader Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

Soon, the unfair laws were ended. In 1994, all people could finally vote in elections.

Apartheid was a system of laws in South Africa. It meant "separateness" or "apart-ness" in the Afrikaans language. This system kept people apart based on their race. It lasted from 1948 until the early 1990s. A small group of white people held most of the power. They controlled the politics, the money, and the social life of the country.

The government used different types of rules to keep people separate. Some were called petty apartheid. These rules kept public places and social events apart. Other rules were called grand apartheid. These rules were much bigger and more serious. They controlled where people could live and where they could work. The government even made laws about who could marry.

This system grew from much older history in South Africa. Long ago, European groups began to settle in the area. By 1652, the Dutch East India Company set up a trading post. Over many years, laws were made to limit the freedom of Black people. For example, pass laws required people to carry papers to travel. The discovery of gold and diamonds also made inequality worse.

Many people suffered because of these laws. Between 1960 and 1983, 3.5 million Black Africans were moved from their homes. The government forced them into segregated areas called bantustans. This was one of the largest mass evictions in history. The government even said these people might lose their citizenship. There was also much violence during this time. A commission found that 21,000 people died from political violence.

People around the world fought to end apartheid. Many countries put sanctions on South Africa to show they disagreed. Inside the country, groups like the African National Congress worked for change. In 1990, the leader Nelson Mandela was released from prison. The government and activists held talks to end the old laws. Finally, in 1994, everyone could vote in fair elections.

Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa and South West Africa. The word comes from the Afrikaans term meaning "separateness" or "apart-ness." This system existed from 1948 until the early 1990s. It was built on an authoritarian political culture called baasskap, or "boss-ship." This structure ensured that the white minority population held total political, social, and economic power.

The system functioned through two distinct levels of segregation. The first level was known as petty apartheid. This involved the separation of public facilities and social events. The second level was called grand apartheid. This level was much more significant as it strictly controlled housing and employment opportunities by race. The government used many laws to enforce these divisions. For example, the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 made interracial marriage illegal. The Population Registration Act of 1950 classified every citizen into one of four racial groups. These groups were "White," "Black," "Coloured," and "Indian."

Apartheid was not a sudden development but grew from older colonial history. Racial discrimination began during European colonization in the 17th century. The Dutch East India Company established a trading post in 1652. Over time, the Dutch and later the British implemented various restrictive laws. These included pass laws that required people to carry documents to travel. The discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa also increased racial inequality. By 1910, the Union of South Africa was created as a self-governing dominion. This new government continued to pass laws that limited the rights of non-white citizens.

The enforcement of grand apartheid led to massive forced removals of people. Between 1960 and 1983, approximately 3.5 million Black Africans were removed from their homes. These were some of the largest mass evictions in modern history. The government forced these people into segregated neighborhoods called bantustans, or tribal homelands. There were ten designated bantustans in total. Four of these areas were declared nominally independent states. The government even claimed that people moved to these areas would lose their South African citizenship.

Resistance to these laws grew both inside and outside of South Africa. Many people joined global social movements to oppose the system. The United Nations frequently condemned the government. Other nations applied international sanctions, such as economic restrictions and arms embargoes. Internally, resistance became increasingly militant during the 1970s and 1980s. This led to heavy crackdowns by the ruling National Party. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission later investigated the resulting violence. It found that 21,000 people died from political violence. Specifically, 7,000 deaths occurred between 1948 and 1989. Another 14,000 deaths and 22,000 injuries happened during the transition period from 1990 to 1994.

The end of apartheid began with political negotiations. Between 1987 and 1993, the National Party held bilateral talks with the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC was the primary political movement fighting against segregation. A major turning point occurred in 1990 when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. These discussions eventually led to the repeal of apartheid legislation on June 17, 1991. This opened the way for the country to hold its first non-racial elections in April 1994.

Today, the legacy of apartheid still affects South Africa. The system created deep economic and social inequality that continues into the present day. While elections are now open and competitive, the historical effects remain visible. The transition changed the country from a minoritarian system to one based on majority rule. This shift marked the end of the official era of "separateness."