History Unit 2D — South Africa 1948–1994

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key laws, figures, and events of the Apartheid era in South Africa (1948–1994) for exam preparation.

Apartheid

The Afrikaans word for "apartness," referring to the system of racial segregation established after the National Party won the 1948 election.

National Party (NP)

The political party led by D.F. Malan that won the 1948 election by promising apartheid, despite receiving fewer total votes than the United Party.

Population Registration Act (1950)

Considered the foundation of apartheid, this law required every person to be classified by race: White, Black, Coloured, or Indian.

Group Areas Act (1950)

A law that forced the segregation of residential areas, resulting in non-whites being moved to townships.

Bantu Education Act (1953)

Legislation that established inferior, separate schooling for Black children, designed specifically to prepare them for manual labour only.

Hendrik Verwoerd

The Prime Minister from 1958–66 known as the "architect of apartheid" who created the Bantustans vision.

Bantustans

Also known as homelands (e.g., Transkei, Bophuthatswana), these were supposedly self-governing areas comprising 13% of the land for 80% of the population.

Sophiatown

A Johannesburg suburb where 65,000 Black residents were bulldozed out between 1955–60; the area was renamed "Triomf" and given to whites.

Freedom Charter (1955)

A document signed at Kliptown by the ANC and allies demanding equal rights, land reform, and free education, famously stating "South Africa belongs to all who live in it."

Sharpeville Massacre (21 March 1960)

A turning point where police killed 69 unarmed protesters and wounded 180 during a PAC-led protest against pass laws.

Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

Meaning "Spear of the Nation," this was the armed wing of the ANC formed in 1961 by Nelson Mandela for the purpose of sabotage.

Rivonia Trial (1963–64)

A trial where Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment at Robben Island for sabotage.

Soweto Uprising (16 June 1976)

A mass protest by schoolchildren against the mandatory use of Afrikaans in secondary schools, resulting in approximately 600 deaths.

Black Consciousness Movement

A movement founded by Steve Biko that taught Black self-pride and psychological liberation.

Oliver Tambo

The ANC President who led the organization in exile for 30 years and built the international anti-apartheid movement.

Tricameral Parliament (1983)

A reform by P.W. Botha that created separate legislative chambers for Whites, Coloureds, and Indians, but notably excluded Black Africans.

F.W. de Klerk

The South African President who in February 1990 unbanned the ANC and PAC, and released Nelson Mandela from prison.

CODESA

The Convention for a Democratic South Africa, which involved multi-party negotiations from 1991–93 to create a new constitution.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

A body chaired by Desmond Tutu in 1996 to investigate apartheid-era crimes and offer amnesty in exchange for full disclosure.

Chris Hani

A key leader whose assassination in April 1993 by a white supremacist almost triggered a civil war before the first democratic elections.