Apartheidsystem

The Apartheidsystem, also known as apartheid, was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that existed in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. It was formally established by the National Party government, led by Prime Minister Daniel Malan, and was maintained by successive governments until its dismantling in the early 1990s. The system was characterized by the segregation of different racial groups into separate social, economic, and political spheres, with the majority group, the Afrikaners, holding the majority of political and economic power.

The Apartheidsystem was based on the idea of racial hierarchy, with the white minority at the top, followed by the colored (mixed-race) and Indian (Asian) groups, and finally the black (African) majority at the bottom. This hierarchy was enforced through various laws and policies, including the Group Areas Act of 1950, which designated separate residential areas for different racial groups, and the Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act of 1959, which established separate homelands for black South Africans.

The Apartheidsystem also included a system of pass laws, which required black South Africans to carry identity documents and passbooks to prove their racial status, and a system of apartheid education, which segregated black and white students into separate schools. The system was also characterized by widespread discrimination in employment, housing, and access to services, with black South Africans often facing severe restrictions and disadvantages.

The Apartheidsystem was widely condemned by the international community and was the subject of numerous human rights violations and abuses. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the system began to crumble under pressure from domestic and international forces, culminating in the dismantling of the system and the election of Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black president in 1994. The legacy of the Apartheidsystem continues to be a source of controversy and debate in South Africa and around the world.