Apartheid

Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa brought by government from 1949 to 1994. It was started after WWII by the Afrikaner National Party, separating South Africa into four different racial groups, “Black,” “White,” “Colored,” and “Indian.”

From 1960 to 1983 around 3.5 million non-white South Africans were forced from their homes into segregated areas. Non-white political leading was removed in 1970, and starting in that year, black Africans were revoked of their citizenship. The government segregated everything, including education, medical care, beaches, and other public services, forcing black people to use services that were mostly inferior to the ones that whites used. Some laws known as “Petty Apartheid” included things such as no mixed-marriages and even no sexual activities between whites and other races.

Black Africans were not allowed to own businesses in “White Africa” areas without permits, separate buses, trains, hospitals and even ambulances. If a black worked in a white area, children and spouses were left back in their homelands, not allowed to enter. If they entered without a pass, they would be arrested and tried for being an illegal migrant. In the '70s, ten times more money was spent on white schooling than all other races in South Africa. Each black homeland controlled its own education, health and police systems. The tax paying was also enforced worse on blacks than whites - blacks had to pay taxes if they made 360 rands or more, while whites only had to pay taxes if they were making 750 rands or more. Not only did non-white African women get discriminated by race, but also gender. Jobs were not usually offered to them, and if they were, they were physical labor, agriculture, or domestic help. Not only were the jobs hard to acquire, but they were also paid little to nothing.

Apartheid was the biggest factor of violence and rioting in South Africa at the time, leading to a trade embargo from many foreign nations. Protests started in the 1950s, and anti-apartheid leaders, such as Nelson Mandela, were arrested and put in prison for their thoughts.

In 1990, the President in South Africa, Frederik Willem de Klerk, started to end apartheid. Then in 1994, under the development of a new, racially equal constitution, a free election was held. Former activist, Nelson Mandela was voted South Africa's first black president. Although it ended officially in 1991, the aftermath of Apartheid cam still be felt in the South Africa.