The History of
Apartheid in South Africa
South
Africa is a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources including
fertile farmlands and unique mineral resources. South African mines are world leaders
in the production of diamonds and gold as well as strategic metals such as platinum.
The climate is mild, reportedly resembling the San Francisco bay area weather more
than anywhere in the world.
South
Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the seventeenth century.
English
domination
of the Dutch descendents (known as Boers or Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch
establishing the new colonies of Orange Free State and Transvaal. The discovery
of diamonds in these lands around 1900 resulted in an English invasion which
sparked the Boer War. Following independence from England, an uneasy
power-sharing between the two groups held sway until the 1940s, when the
Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. Strategists in the
National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the
economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain
white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60s, a plan
of “Grand Apartheid” was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and
police repression.
With
the enactment of apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was
institutionalized.
Race
laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between
non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs. In 1950, the
Population Registration Act required that all South Africans be racially
classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of
mixed decent). The colored category included major subgroups of Indians and
Asians. Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social
acceptance, and descent. For example, a white person was defined as ``in
appearance obviously a white person or generally accepted as a white person.''
A person could not be considered white if one of his or her parents were non-white.
The determination that a person was ``obviously white'' would take into account
``his habits, education, and speech and deportment and demeanor.'' A black person
would be of or accepted as a member of an African tribe or race, and a colored person
is one that is not black or white. The Department of Home Affairs (a government
bureau) was responsible for the classification of the citizenry. Non-compliance
with the race laws resulted in arrest, beatings and sometimes, death. All
blacks were required to carry ``pass books'' containing fingerprints, photo and
information on access to non-black areas.
In
1951, the Bantu Authorities Act established a basis for ethnic government in
African reserves, known as ``homelands.'' These homelands were independent
states to which each African was assigned by the government according to the
record of origin (which was frequently inaccurate). All political rights,
including voting, held by an African were restricted to the designated
homeland.
The
idea was that they would be citizens of the homeland, losing their citizenship
in South Africa and any right of involvement with the South African Parliament,
which held complete hegemony over the homelands. From 1976 to 1981, four of
these homelands were created, denationalizing nine million South Africans. The
homeland administrations refused the nominal independence, maintaining pressure
for political rights within the country as a whole. Nevertheless, Africans
living in the homelands needed passports to enter South Africa: aliens in their
own country.
In
1953, the Public Safety Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act were passed, which
empowered the government to declare stringent states of emergency and increased
penalties for protesting against or supporting the repeal of a law. The
penalties included fines, imprisonment and whippings. In 1960, a large group of
blacks in Sharpeville refused to carry their passes; the government declared a state
of emergency. The emergency lasted for 156 days, leaving 69 people dead and 187
people wounded. Wielding the Public Safety Act and the Criminal Law Amendment
Act, the white regime had no intention of changing the unjust laws of
apartheid.
The
penalties imposed on political protest, even non-violent protest, were severe.
During the states of emergency, which continued intermittently until 1989,
anyone could be detained without a hearing by a low-level police official for
up to six months. Thousands of individuals died in custody, frequently after
gruesome acts of torture. Those who were tried were sentenced to death,
banished, or imprisoned for life, like Nelson Mandela. The apartheid policy was
highly effective of achieving its goal of preferential treatment for whites.
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