Apartheid
Some people may refer to apartheid as the unfair racial segregation that caused so much trouble to many black Africans. Others may find it logical or necessary for this time period, but the real definition of apartheid is a racist policy that was based on the myth that blacks and whites were to be separated. Apartheid is an African word meaning apartness. Many laws were created to make sure that blacks and whites were separated (Culverson). This paper will inform you about some of these laws, and most of all about apartheid itself.
Apartheid was in effect from 1948 until 1991, but the real or symbolic end of apartheid came in May 1994 when blacks came into the government (Connolly). This racial segregation took place in South Africa. There were many people who suffered from this unfortunate event. The people who suffered were the blacks. They suffered because they were treated with disrespect and turned away from. People did not care if the blacks were happy or not, the only cared about how the white people felt. Whites benefitted from apartheid. They were treated with respect, and given certain things and opportunities that blacks were not. For example, whites were allowed to run for South Africa’s National Party and black people were not.
South Africa’s National Party was found by James Barry Munnik Hertzog to protect the interests of Africans against the pro- British policies of the South African Party in 1914. It was stated that, “Under leaders Daniel F. Malan (1948–54), Johannes G. Strijdom (1954–58), Hendrik F. Verwoerd (1956–66), B. Johannes Vorster (1966–78), and P. W. Botha (1978–89), the party consolidated its power and formulated and implemented an apartheid policy of separate racial development to ensure white political and economic domination.” This means that these people were the ones that began apartheid in Africa. The strongholds of the party were supported by the Dutch and English- speaking leaders were not elected until the 1960s. This means that when the first English- speaking leader was elected, apartheid was already halfway through because it ended in 1991. At this time, the National Party was very opposed to any “relaxation of apartheid”. Later in this year, many laws referring to apartheid were repealed. One law that was repealed was the 1948 law that prohibited intermarriage. “The pass laws requiring blacks in white areas to have a permit were repealed in 1986. The Group Areas Act of 1966 and the Land Acts of 1913 and 1936, which had enforced residential segregation and reserved 87% of the land for whites, were repealed in June 1991. The Population Registration Act of 1950, which had required all South Africans to record their race with the government, was also repealed in 1991.” All of these are just a few of the laws that were repealed at this time. Many different measures were taken to be sure that blacks and whites were properly segregated. Sadly, this was not the end of apartheid and as we will learn it will not be officially ended until 1991 (Best).
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in 1918 in Umtata, South Africa. Mandela was opposed to apartheid and was faced with years of imprisonment. Later, he became the first president of black-majority-ruled South Africa and also the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (Student Resources in Context). Mandela stepped down from being president in 1999, but since then he has become the highest- profile ambassador. As ambassador, he campaigns against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. He also secured Africa’s right to host the 2010 football World Cup. Mandela has been imprisoned many times. In 1956 he was charged with high treason but the charges were dropped and in 1964 Mandela was charged again with a life sentence. In 1990 Mandela was freed from prison. Since 1990, Mandela has been faced with more unfortunate experiences. In 2001 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and just four years later in 2005, Mandela announces that his son has dies of an HIV/ Aids related disease. Even though Nelson Mandela’s life has been tough, he has managed to pull through it all. Today he is ninety- two years old and continues to do what is best for Africa. (BBC News) Hopefully in the future he will continue to show his love for his country and help the people of Africa.
Sun City was a gambling resort built in a bantustan, or independent territory set aside for the poor black inhabitants. However, it was actually run by the South African elite and did little to benefit the poor people of the region. Famous musicians boycotted the resort and pledged never to play there as a form of protest against apartheid (Artists United Against Apartheid).
Apartheid ended in 1991 after many negotiations. The government tried to restore the law and thousands of blacks were arrested or even killed in confrontations with security forces. When F. W. de Klerk was elected president in 1989, he negotiated a settlement with the black majority. In the next years, the rest of the apartheid laws were repealed. When Mandela was elected as the first black president in South Africa, he continued to help things such as education, health care, and employment become better for blacks (Winchester).
The Truth Commission was established after apartheid. It was like a body of people assembled in South Africa for the witnesses and victims of the human right’s violations. These people were invited to speak about their experienced and others for public meetings or conventions (Martin). The ANC, also known as the African National Congress, was formed in 1912. This was created as a civil rights movement that was nonviolent and formed by middle-class, urban-based chiefs and professionals. “The ANC stressed peaceful protest, dialogue, and educating whites and the international community about black demands and aspirations.” (Best) it has been found that the political party of the African National Congress has won every election since the end of apartheid. In April of 2009 Jacob G. Zuma, the leader of the African National Congress, won its fourth electoral victory along with the other members of his party. Many South Africans are disappointed with this, but their anger is rarely pointed toward the African National Congress.
Works Cited
Martin, Michael (2006) Apartheid in south africa. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent, Print.
Connolly, Sean (2003) Apartheid in south africa. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, Print.
Winchester, N. B. (2010). Apartheid. Encyclopedia Americana. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Grolier Online http://ea.grolier.com/article?id=0018070-00
Apartheid. (2010). Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0013940-0
Best, A. C. G. (2010). National Party. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0204580-0
"Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 20 Nov. 2010.
Arnaud Martin, La mémoire et le pardon. Les commissions de la vérité et de la réconciliation en Amérique latine, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2009.
Best, A. C. G.(2010). African National Congress.Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 21,2010, from Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0003683-0
(2009) "African National Congress." New York Times [New York] 28 Apr. Print.
(2009) "African National Congress." New York Times [New York] 28 Apr. Print.
(21 Nov. 2010) "BBC News - Mandela's Life and times." BBC News - Home. Web. http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1454208.stm?ad=1
21 Nov. 2010. "Artists United Against Apartheid." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artists_United_Against_Apartheid
