South Africa

Sindy Veritus March 9, 2013
Global Studies: Argumentative Essay

South African Apartheid

Apartheid in South Africa was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the National Party government from 1948 to 1994 of South Africa. Racial segregation in South Africa began in colonial times by the Dutch and British. Apartheid as an official policy was introduced following the general election in 1948. Apartheid was developed after War World II by the Afrikaner-dominated National Party and was first colonized by the Dutch and then the English came in and took most of it away. The population of South Africa was classified into four groups which was the Black, White, Indian, and Colored. The Colored group included people regarded as being of mixed descent including people of Bantu, and European ancestry and much more. Knowing that Apartheid was a system of laws created to keep the white population in control. The Group Areas act of 1951 controlled people where they could of live. The black where driven far away from their city, although their jobs were still in the cities in the white neighborhood. The Bantu education Act meant that the black students were disadvantaged with their education. “Bus fares were expensive and catching public transport everyday was expensive and caused hardship and depression for the black people.” (Wikipedia) The apartheid policy was highly effective of achieving its goal of privileged conduct for whites. On the other hand, the white population supported apartheid because they felt it was there to own the land of South Africa. There were many white pro apartheid people because of the much larger population of black South Africans causing the white people to believe that if the black were given rights and freedom, they would of no longer have political power. The white people were worried because they thought that their race would be taken over and they would lose the control that they always had.
As a final point, In February 1990 President FW de Klerk announced the release of Nelson Mandela and began the exclusion of the Apartheid system. In 1992 a white council approved the reform process and on April 27, 1994 the first democratic elections were held in South Africa with people of all different races being able to vote. After the Apartheid came to an end in South Africa, people had more freedom. The Africans now have a little more money now that it’s not all going to the white. South Africa is now peaceful and the anniversary of the elections, which was held on April 27, is celebrated as a public holiday in South Africa known as Freedom Day.