History
Apartheid: A System of Racial Segregation
An explanation of apartheid, the system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s.
What is it?
Apartheid, an Afrikaans word meaning "apartness," was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced by the white minority government in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. This system classified all South Africans into racial groups: "Black," "White," "Coloured" (mixed race), and "Indian." Legislation dictated nearly every aspect of life, including where people could live, work, and go to school, strictly separating people by race. Laws like the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 and the Immorality Act of 1950 made interracial relationships illegal. Over 3.5 million Black Africans were forcibly removed from their homes into segregated townships or "bantustans."
Why is it trending?
Although the legal framework of apartheid was dismantled over three decades ago, its legacy continues to be a prominent topic of discussion. The term trends in conversations about ongoing social and economic issues in South Africa, which remains one of the most unequal countries in the world. Debates frequently arise comparing current government failures in areas like public health and housing to the conditions under apartheid. Furthermore, the history of apartheid is often invoked in international relations and human rights discussions as a benchmark for analyzing systemic discrimination and racial injustice in other parts of the world.
How does it affect people?
The effects of apartheid continue to deeply impact South African society. The systemic segregation and economic disenfranchisement of the non-white majority created vast disparities in wealth, education, and opportunity that persist today. The richest 10% of the population, who are mostly white, still control a majority of the nation's wealth. The spatial segregation enforced by laws like the Group Areas Act shaped the physical layout of cities and towns, and many Black South Africans still reside in impoverished and underdeveloped townships. The psychological trauma and social divisions fostered by decades of state-enforced racism also present ongoing challenges to national unity and reconciliation.