Very Separate, Very Unequal

Apartheid was the South African policy of racial segregation that benefitted the white minority and discriminated against the black majority.  From 1948 to 1994, apartheid helped the white minority in South Africa keep political power.

What were some of the efforts of apartheid? Apartheid forcibly removed millions of black people into predominantly black homelands and townships that were far from the nearest town or city. Schools, health care, water, sanitation, and transportation in these areas were rudimentary at best.  Most of the people in the settlements were impoverished and had little opportunity for employment.  Young men migrated to the white areas to work in the mines and factories, while the elderly, children, women, and disabled people remained in the homelands.

How did the apartheid system begin to crumble? A number of foreign governments and human rights organizations demanded an end to the system.  Trade sanctions and divestment (the withdrawal of investment by foreign companies) pressured the government to change its policies.  However, the biggest challenge came from within South Africa.  The African National Congress, the KwaZulu-dominated Inkatha group, the churches of South Africa, and the trade union movements all spoke out for a democratic future.

When did apartheid finally come to an end?  The policies of apartheid ended in 1994 when South Africa held its first democratic election.  All South Africans were able to vote for the first time.  The result was the election of the African National Congress candidate, Nelson Mandela, as South Africa’s first black president.

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