Essay About South Africa And Bantu Authorities Act

A System of Legal Racial Segregation in South Africa
Around the 1900’s. apartheid had officially began in South Africa. Apartheid meaning separation.
It was a system of legal racial segregation. This occurred exactly during the years 1948 and 1994, under
which the rights of the majority of blacks were curtailed and minority whites were maintained. During
this period of time, although many said that there really wasn’t much separation and that everyone was
treated equally, blacks were the ones who were treated harshly.
It is said that South Africa is a country that is blessed with natural resources, including fertile
farmlands as well a unique minerals. Around the 17th century, South Africa was colonized by the English
and Dutch. The discovery of diamonds in the lands of South Africa resulted in English invasion. This
invasion sparked up a war called the Boer war. Both English and Dutch Had disagreements about sharing
power over South Africa. The two groups held sway until the 1940’s, when the Afrikaners (Dutch
descendants) , National Party was able to gain a strong majority. The strategist in the National Party
invented apartheid, therefore aiming towards a white domination. While doing this they planned to
extend racial separation.
Apartheid laws were created in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized. These race laws
touched every aspect of social life. In 1950, an act called Population Registration required that all
south Africans be racially classified into one of three groups. Those three groups being white, black or
colored people. The classification of these two groups was usually based on appearance, socially
acceptance and descent. A person could not be considered “white” if one of his or her parents were
“non-white”. This was determined by their habits, education and speech. Whites were already
beginning to be treated better than blacks.
In 1951 the Bantu Authorities Act assigned all Africans to their native lands, also known as their
“homelands”.