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The South African experience over the last few decades is characterized by enormous growth and development. Major changes have taken place in South Africa politically and socially. This adds to the richness of its recent history.

Apartheid

The Afrikaner National Party was a pro-European party and consisted of white people.

Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, the aim of apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. The plan named “Grand Apartheid” was considered in the 60’s, to emphasize territorial separation between white people and black people and to emphasize police repression to black people.

Some examples:

South Africans were racially classified into one of three categories: white, black or coloured.

All blacks were required to carry so-called “pass books” containing fingerprints, photo and information on access to non-black areas.

Page Picture HistoryNelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime of South Africa with a multi-racial democracy.

Mandela became one of the African National Congress (ANC) deputy presidents, a multi-racial nationalist movement trying to bring political change in South Africa.

The ANC staged a campaign of passive resistance against apartheid laws. The ANC’s policy was non-violence.

Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment, because he tried to overthrow the government. He was imprisoned on Robben Island, off the coast of Cape Town, and later in Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland. During his years in prison he became an international symbol of resistance to apartheid.

After 27 years of imprisonment, the South African government responded to international pressure and released Mandela.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. The following year South Africa held its first multi-racial election and Mandela was elected as its first black president.