T4 Flashcards
What government ruled South Africa under apartheid?
Whites-only government
The apartheid regime was characterized by systemic racial segregation and discrimination.
What year did apartheid officially end in South Africa?
1994
This marked the beginning of a new era in South African history with the establishment of a democratic government.
How many apartheid laws did the National Party pass after coming to power in 1948?
148 apartheid laws
These laws formed the legal basis for racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.
What were the three main aims of apartheid laws?
- Increase the power and living standards of whites
- Increase the separation of ‘races’
- Control the movement of black people
These aims led to pervasive discrimination and inequality.
What was the effect of apartheid laws on the lives of white and black South Africans?
- White people’s lives generally improved
- Black people experienced more hardship
This disparity highlighted the systemic inequalities perpetuated by apartheid.
What was the Separate Amenities Act?
It segregated beaches, parks, toilets, and nearly all public amenities, allowing whites to use the best amenities
This act exemplified the everyday discrimination faced by non-whites.
What was the purpose of the Suppression of Communism Act?
Banned political organizations deemed undesirable by the National Party
This act facilitated the arrest and torture of dissenters without trial.
What did the Bantu Education Act establish?
An inferior education system for black children
This act aimed to limit educational opportunities for black South Africans.
What was the Bantu Self Government Act?
It set up a system of ‘homelands’ or ‘Bantustans’ for Africans
These homelands were intended to segregate black South Africans from whites.
What was the purpose of the Population Registration Act?
Classified all South Africans into Europeans (whites), coloureds, Indians, and Africans
This classification reinforced racial divisions in society.
What did the Passes Act require of African men?
They had to carry ‘reference’ books or ‘pass’ books
These passes controlled the movement of African male workers.
What was the Group Areas Act?
Set aside specific residential and business areas for particular ‘races’
This law led to forced removals and displacement of non-white communities.
What did the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act forbid?
Marriages between blacks and whites
This act was part of the broader strategy to maintain racial purity.
What did the Immorality Act make illegal?
Black and white people having sexual relations
This law aimed to enforce racial segregation in personal relationships.
What term is used to refer to South Africans born after the end of apartheid?
‘Born frees’
This term reflects a generation that did not experience the apartheid regime directly.
Unit 3: Case study: Group Areas Act:
Sophiatown forced removal
The Group Areas Act 1950
Tho Group Areas Act of 1950 determined where people could live on the basis of
their’race! Lines were drawn on town and city maps
which set aside certain areas
where only whites
coloureds
orson liing in a SO-called white area had to be removed to a new area set aside
for black occupation. White people were allowed to live in the most attractive
and valuable parts of South Africa. Suburbs for white people were nearer to the
business parts of the cities.
In this unit
we will learn about just one example of how the Group Areas Act
destroyed a community-the forced removal of the people of Sophiatown in 1955.
Sophiatown before 1955
Sophiatown was situated near the centre of the city of Johannesburg. It
was a racially mixed suburb that was home to about 70 000 people
most of
them Africans.
Parts of Sophiatown were a slum
and its residents were aware of that. It was a
suburb of contradictions - on the one hand
it was filthy and overcrowded. On the
other hand
it was home to a developing urban black culture. It was vibrant
activity and excitement.
54000 Africans
3000 ‘coloureds’
1500 Indians
686 Chinese
Most of che white people had mnoved
to smarter neighbouring suburbs.
Brink
E. Report of the Division of
Institutional Advancerment
University
of Johannesburg. 2010
p. 91.
Sophiatown was the most perfect
experiment in non-racial community living
.On the whole
people lived a raceless
existence. Whatever else Sophiatown was
it
