Table of Contents
Abstract
This paper provides brief information about one of the most heavy-hearted events of the history of the South Africa. It talks about apartheid policy, initiated in 1948. The article discusses some historical facts of passing this policy until gaining independence in 1979.
Apartheid in the South Africa
In 1948 the Nationalists won the parliamentary elections and assumed the leadership of the South African government. They built up the Apartheid as a means to consolidate their control over the social system and to upkeep white domination. It was decided that integration would cause a loss of national identification for all racial groups. Indeed, the Apartheid policy exacerbated the problem of racism among native and immigrants in the South Africa.
New legislation touched every aspect of social life. In 1950, the population of South Africa was racially classified into three categories: white, black, or colored according to the Population Registration Act. The sexual relationship between people of different races was perceived as a criminal offence, not to mention the forbiddance of marriage between them.
Such signboards like “whites only” began to appear in public areas. The government created separate establishments like hospitals, schools, universities and even cinemas and theatres for black people which undoubtedly were provided with services inferior to those that whites received.
In 1951, African structures, known as ``homelands”, were established, they divided South Africa into separate states, with each turning into a habitat for “not white people”. During the 1960s, and 1970s, the government conducted a policy of 'resettlement', and forced people to move to their created "group areas".
The system of apartheid gave rise to significant internal resistance. A series of uprisings and protests were met with police brutality. Although the majority of whites in the South Africa supported apartheid, some 20 percent of them did not. Those black, who struggled, were sentenced to death or imprisoned for life, like Nelson Mandela.
After 1976, unions and workers played an significant role in the struggle against apartheid. In 1979, the government decided to allow black workers to set up unions as a step in the anticipation that apartheid would end.
