Apartheid – A System of Racial Discrimination

Apartheid – A System of Racial Discrimination

Context: The end of Apartheid, a system of racial discrimination, is being celebrated in South Africa, marking 30 years since it was abolished. Apartheid was a legal system of racial segregation against non-whites, which was enforced through political, social, and economic discrimination.

About:

• Apartheid policies were in existence earlier but were institutionalized by the National Party in 1948.
• The Population Registration Act of 1950 established the fundamental framework of apartheid.
• South Africans were classified by race into distinct categories: Blacks, Coloureds, Whites, and Indians.
• The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 prohibited marriages between people of different races.
• The Group Areas Act of 1950 enforced separate residential areas based on race.
• The Bantu Education Act of 1953 mandated segregated education for different racial groups.

Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM):

• Non-violent Resistance Movement: The AntiApartheid Movement (AAM) began with a phase of non-violent resistance, led by the African National Congress (ANC) as the primary organization advocating against apartheid.
• Internationalization Efforts: During this phase, the AAM garnered international support, including backing from the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) and the United Nations. The UN adopted the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, highlighting global efforts against apartheid.
• India\'s Role: India played a pivotal role in opposing apartheid by being the first country to sever trade relations with the apartheid government in 1946. Subsequently, India imposed a complete embargo on South Africa, demonstrating significant international opposition to apartheid.
• Massive Resistance and Boycotts: The AAM evolved into a phase of massive resistance characterized by boycotts and demonstrations. The Defiance Campaign of 1952, organized by the ANC, exemplified this period of widespread resistance against apartheid policies through non-violent civil disobedience.

Role of Mahatma Gandhi:

• Establishment of Natal Indian Congress: Mahatma Gandhi played a foundational role in the AntiApartheid Movement (AAM) in South Africa by establishing the Natal Indian Congress in 1894. This marked the beginning of organized resistance against colonialism and racial discrimination.
• Satyagraha Against Registration Legislation: In 1906, Gandhi initiated the use of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance) against the legislation that required Asians to register. This marked an early use of his principles of non-violent protest against discriminatory laws.
• March of 1913: A significant event in Gandhi\'s activism in South Africa occurred in 1913 when around 5,000 indentured workers marched in Natal as part of a Satyagraha campaign. This march marked the beginning of larger marches for freedom and mass strikes that later became defining features of the AntiApartheid Movement.                                                                                                                   • Influence on AAM: Gandhi\'s leadership and activism in South Africa planted the seeds for later movements against apartheid. His use of non-violent resistance, community organizing, and civil disobedience laid a strong foundation for the strategies and ethos of the AAM that emerged in subsequent decades.

About Nelson Mandela: