The History of Apartheid in South Africa Strategists in the National Party

The History of Apartheid in South Africa Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60's, a plan of ``Grand Apartheid'' was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression. With the enactment of apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs. In 1950, the Population Registration Act required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of mixed decent). The coloured category included major subgroups of Indians and Asians. Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social acceptance, and descent. For example, a white person was defined as ``in appearance obviously a white person or generally accepted as a white person.'' A person could not be considered white if one of his or her parents were non-white. The determination that a person was ``obviously whit

Apartheid, the Afrikaans word for "apartness" was the system used in South Africa from the

years 1948 to 1994. During these years the nearly 31.5 million blacks in South Africa

were treated cruelly and without respect. They were given no representation in the

National party even though they made up most of the country.

It was not until 1994 when a black man name Nelson Mandela came to power in the South

Africa congress. Once elected Mandela removed all racist laws against blacks and all

other minorities.

Nelson Mandela is one of the great leaders of our time. A hero whose lifelong strugal to

the fight against Apartheid in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the

presidency of his country. Since his release from prison in 1990, Mandela has been at the

center of a struggle against the white minority in South Africa.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. After receiving an education at a

local mission school, he was sent to Healdtown, a secondary school. He then enrolled at

the University of Fort Hare for a Bachelor of Arts Degree where he was elected onto the

Student's Representative Council. He was expelled from college, for joining in a boycott.

Mandela then went to Johannesburg where he completed his BA by correspondence and studied

for his LLB. He entered politics while studying in Johannesburg by joining the African

National Congress in 1942.

During the 50's, Mandela was one of the many tried in the Treason Trial. Shortly after

the 1960 massacre of peaceful black demonstrators in Sharpeville, most movements,

including the ANC, were banned. Nelson Mandela was forced to go underground and live

apart from his family. However, his successful evasion of the police earned him the title

of the Black Pimpernel. At this time, he and other leaders of the ANC created a new

section of the liberation movement, Umkhonto we Sizwe, with a view to preparing for armed

struggle, Mandela said, I and some colleagues came to the conclusion that as violence in

this country was inevitable; it would be wrong and unrealistic for African leaders to

continue preaching peace and non-violence at a time when the government met our peaceful

demands with force. He was elected President of the ANC in 1991, and on May 10th 1994, he

was inaugurated as President of South Africa.

I definitely have to say that Nelson Mandella had a totally positive influence on

everyone in South Africa, not just the black majority but everyone. The reason is because

things were really bad under the all white leadership and many white people did not agree

with the apartheid system.

It is difficult to pick just one or two significant event in apartheid history, so I

would