Apartheid in South Africa

Background for Gordimer, Fugard, and other South

African WritersENG 222

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reproduction.

Definition: apartheid

• The legal separation of races in South Africa, maintaining the power of the white minority over native populations

• Apartheid laws began 1948, prohibiting mixed-race marriages and sanctioning “whites-only” jobs

• Lasted over 40 years, ending with election of Nelson Mandela in 1994

• Population Registration Act (1950), requiring everyone to be registered as white, black (African), or colored (mixed heritage, Indians, Asians, etc.)

• “Homelands” acts (1951-81), restricting native Africans to reserves, requiring passports to enter South Africa

• Pass laws (1952), requiring nonwhites to carry passes

• Separate Amenities Act (1953) mandates separate public facilities for whites and nonwhites

• Censorship of imported books, films (1955, 1956)

• Arrests -- 500,000 arrests yearly for pass-law violations during 1950s.

• By end of decade, 600 people listed as communists, 350 banned, 150 banished

• Public Safety Act, Criminal Law Amendment Act (1953): fines, prison, whippings for demonstrators.

• Sharpeville massacre (March 1-April 5, 1960): police kill 69 unarmed protestors and in other skirmishes wounding 187. Opposition groups including ANC are outlawed.

• South Africa leaves Commonwealth (1961): declares itself republic after criticism against its laws

White domination of land, money (1978)

Sources• http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale

/cs201/index.html, 4 Aug 02• http://www.facts.com/cd/o94317.htm, 4 Aug 02• http://www.africaonline.com/site/Articles/1,3,46513.jsp• http://home.carolina.rr.com/wormold/south-africa/

history-9.htm