preview

Apartheid in South Africa

Decent Essays

Apartheid In South Africa

APARTHEID Apartheid is the political policy of racial segregation. In Afrikaans, it means apartness, and it was pioneered in 1948 by the South African National
Party when it came to power. Not only did apartheid separate whites from non-whites, it also segregated the Blacks (Africans) from the Coloureds (Indians, Asians). All things such as jobs, schools, railway stations, beaches, park benches, public toilets and even parliament. Apartheid also prevented blacks from living in white areas. This brought about the hated "pass laws". These laws required any non-white to carry a pass on him or her. Unless it was stamped on their pass, they were not allowed to stay in a white area for more …show more content…

In 1952, he was arrested for the Defiance campaign, which blatantly broke Apartheid laws. In 1956, Mandella was charged with High Treason. He was aquitted four and a half years later. After the Sharpeville massaacre, Mandella helped form the military wing of the ANC. He went into hiding and travelled abroad before being again arrested, this time for illegally exiting the country in 1962, for which he received a sentence of five years. Whilst serving this sentence, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for 'sabotage ' and 'conspiracy to overthrow the government by revolution '. This was extremely unjust, as he was charged with these offences under the Suppression of Communism Act, and
Mandella favoured a Westminster type democracy. Finally, after years of international pressure, Mandella was released in February, 1990. In 1993, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize and in 1994, became South African President.

DESMOND TUTU Ordained as apriest in 1961, Tutu studied theology in London where he gaine dhis asters degree in 1966. He became bishop of Lesotho in 1978 and was appoited secretary-general of the South African Council of Churches in the same year. He was honoured world-wide for his determination in resisting apartheid peacefuly. He supported the Free Mandela campaign and promoted peaceful disobidience. Awarded the Nobel piec prize in 1985, he was a powerful voice amongst those calling for economic sanctions to be placed on South Africa. He
was

Get Access