Turning Points in South African History since 1948

Turning Points in Modern South African History since 1948 (Apartheid Period)

• Human Rights: Every person is entitled to fundamental rights that cannot be taken away.
• Apartheid's False Premise: It was built on the flawed notion that certain racial groups were inherently inferior, creating categories of: white, Indians, Coloureds, and blacks.
• Early Segregation (Pre-1948):
  • Pass Laws: Prohibited black people from residing in urban areas.
  • Wage Inequality: Black workers received lower wages than their white counterparts.
  • Land Restrictions: The Native Land Act (1913) limited black ownership of land.
  • Townships: Black residents in urban areas were confined to designated townships.
  • Union Suppression: Black workers were denied the right to form trade unions.
  • Coloured Bar Act: Skilled and semi-skilled black workers were excluded from the voters' roll.
• The National Party's Role:
  • They supported the apartheid system, arguing it would resolve racial tensions.
  • D.F. Malan became Prime Minister in 1948.
  • Hendrick Verwoerd (architect of apartheid) drafted numerous discriminatory laws.
• Key Apartheid Laws:
  • Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act (1949): Outlawed marriage between people of different racial groups.
  • Immorality Amendment Act (1950): Criminalized sexual relationships between different races.
  • Population Registration Act (1950): Classified individuals by race and created racial categories.
  • Group Areas Act (1950): Mandated segregation of residential areas based on race.
  • Suppression of Communism Act (1950): Used to silence opposition to apartheid.
  • Native Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents Act (1952): Required black people to carry passes for movement and identification.
  • Separate Amenities Act (1953): Established separate facilities for different races in public spaces.
  • Bantu Education Act (1953): Established a segregated and inferior education system for black children.
  • Bantu Self-Government Act (1959): Intended to create racially segregated self-governing territories for black communities.
• Apartheid's Nature: A system of enforced racial segregation encompassing economic, social, political, and geographical aspects. It was rooted in the belief of white superiority.
• Segregation: The separation of people based on racial classifications.
• Trade Unions: Organizations that protect workers' rights and promote worker welfare within the workplace.