Q5: Describe briefly the apartheid system? What were its policies?

Apartheid was a system of racial discrimination/segregation that was unique to South Africa and was imposed by the white Europeans settled in South Africa. This system divided the people and labelled them as whites and non-whites on the basis of their skin colour.

Policies under the Apartheid were:

• No voting rights for non-whites- Non-whites or the blacks were denied their rights including the right to vote.
• Strict Segregation- The apartheid system was harsh and oppressive for the blacks. They were forbidden from living in white areas. They could work in white areas only if they had a permit. Many public services such as trains, buses, taxis, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, public toilets, etc. were all separate for the whites and blacks. They could not visit the churches where the whites worshiped.
• Ban on formation of associations and protests- Blacks could not form associations or protest against the extreme oppressive and discriminatory treatment. This hindered their capacity to fight against apartheid peacefully.