Apartheid in South Africa 1948 - 1994

Native Tribes of South Africa Prior to European colonization of southern Africa there were hundreds of native tribes with distinct cultures and languages. These people groups had been present in southern Africa for hundreds of thousands of years.

The Dutch in South Africa The Dutch are people from the Netherlands. In the 1600s, the Dutch East Indian Company colonized the very southern areas of Africa in order to control trade routes to the East Indies. Cape Town was established.

Great Britain takes South Africa In 1795, the British took over Cape Town and began to push further inland, impacting the native peoples. Diamonds were discovered during the 19th century which sparked wars, violence and oppression against the native peoples of southern Africa. Boers, colonists of Dutch decent, left Cape Town to establish their own free colony and fought with native groups and the British.

South Africa as a British Colony During the early part of the 20th century, the British colonial government began to pass legislation (laws) that oppressed “non-whites.” Some examples of these laws were: Voting eligibility laws (voters had to own a home worth £75 ($120 in U.S. dollars) Pass Laws (required all “non-whites” to register and carry a “pass” in order to be in public) Colour Bar Act (did not allow “non-whites” to hold skilled jobs) Native Lands Act (restricted natives from owning land)

The Republic of South Africa In 1931, the Republic of South Africa was granted independence from the British. However, the minority white government continued to oppress the “non-whites” through segregation, violence and a variety of other unjust legislation (laws).

Apartheid Definition of Apartheid: a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority non-white inhabitants of South Africa were limited and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained.

Apartheid Policy: Division of Races One of the first pieces of legislation that was passed by the National Party when they took control in 1948 was a division of the races. This new law forced all people to register with the government in one of the 4 categories. Native (73%) (African) White (15%) (full European descent) Coloured (9%) (Mixed Blood) Asian (3%) (Mostly Indian)

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan Also known as “black African homeland” or simply “homeland” South Africa was divided into 20 different ethnic “Bantustans” or homelands. Native Africans were then forced to move onto these “homelands” The total percentage of land based on the size of South Africa was only 13%. While the percentage of “non-whites” in South Africa was closer to 85%.

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan This policy created institutionalized economic racism and injustice. These Bantus became slums, cut off from any resources.

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan

Apartheid Policy: Bantustan

Other Apartheid Policies Mixed marriages or sexual relations Kept blacks from owning homes or living in certain “all-white” urban areas. Required all blacks over the age of 16 to carry “pass books” while in white areas of the country. If blacks were found without their pass book, they were arrested on the spot.

Other Apartheid Policies Eliminated the right for citizens to protest or gather. Made it illegal to strike (Whom do you think made the least amount in wages?) Laws were passed that eliminated funding for black schools. Segregated all public facilities.

Other Apartheid Policies Gave the police and government officials the right to remove any black from land near white settlements. Eliminated the rights of blacks in court (blacks could not bring these laws into question). Eventually passed laws that eliminated the citizenship of blacks.

Other Apartheid Policies One law allowed for the arrest of any person who might “endanger the maintenance of law and order” and charge them with terrorism. The names of these people did not have to be released, so many of them “disappeared.”

Nelson Mandela Mandela was the son of a tribal leader in South Africa. After the death of his mother and father, Mandela was able to achieve an education and eventually became a lawyer. Mandela operated a law firm providing low-fee or free legal counsel for blacks who needed a lawyer. Was an anti-apartheid activist. Gained many of his ideas about resistance from Mahatma Gandhi.

Mandela’s Turn from Non-Violence After the Sharpeville Massacre where white police officers opened fire killing 69 protestors, Mandela moved towards a more violent approach. Mandela took over the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the nation; or just MK) which he co-founded. The MK was a violent resistance wing of the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC had been banned by the Nationalist Party.

The MK Mandela coordinated sabotage attacks on symbolic government locations (pass stations, police stations, court houses, post offices). His plans were designed so that nobody would be killed but he was not opposed to killing people. His hopes were to convince the South African government to end apartheid, and believed that armed revolt was a “last option.”

The MK manifesto reads: "Our men are armed and trained freedom fighters not terrorists." "We are fighting for democracy—majority rule—the right of the Africans to rule Africa. We are fighting for a South Africa in which there will be peace and harmony and equal rights for all people." "We are not racialists, as the white oppressors are. The African National Congress has a message of freedom for all who live in our country."

Imprisonment and Robben island With the help of the CIA, South African forces were able to track down Mandela who had been on the run for 17 months. He was found guilty of terrorist acts and sentences to life in prison. Mandela was imprisoned for most of the 27 years at Robben Island, where he was given limited rations and forced to do hard labor breaking apart limestone.

Robben Island In prison, Mandela’s reputation grew and he became widely known as the most significant black leader in South Africa. On several occasions, Mandela was offered his freedom if he would 'unconditionally rejected violence as a political weapon.’ In which he refused. Mandela was only allowed a visitor once every 6 months as well as one letter out and one letter received. There were actual plots to allow him to escape so that prison guards could shoot him in the recapture.

Freedom In 1990, after intense international pressure, South African President F.W. de Klerk reversed the ban on the ANC and freed Mandela from prison. Mandela resumed his role as leader of the ANC and began to work towards reconciliation with the white oppressors.

The End of Apartheid On the day of his release, Mandela made a speech to the nation. He declared his commitment to peace and reconciliation with the country's white minority, but made it clear that the ANC's armed struggle was not yet over when he said: "our resort to the armed struggle in 1960 with the formation of the military wing of the ANC (Umkhonto we Sizwe) was a purely defensive action against the violence of apartheid. The factors which necessitated the armed struggle still exist today. We have no option but to continue. We express the hope that a climate conducive to a negotiated settlement would be created soon, so that there may no longer be the need for the armed struggle."

The End of Apartheid From 1990 to 1994, Mandela worked to create equality in the election process as well as to put an end to Apartheid policies throughout the country. In the first free multi-racial elections in South Africa’s history, Mandela was elected president in 1994.

The End of Apartheid From his release from prison in 1990 through his presidency (1994-1999), Mandela and the South African government gradually eliminated the Apartheid laws that had been in place for over 50 years.