South African Apartheid Laws

South African apartheid laws were a series of government policies from 1948 to 1994 that enforced racial segregation. They classified people into racial groups—Black, White, Colored, and Indian—and imposed strict restrictions on non-white populations, controlling where they could live, work, and socialize. These laws marginalized non-white citizens, denying them basic rights, political participation, and equal access to education and resources. The system was designed to maintain White minority dominance and suppressed resistance through laws like the Population Registration Act, Group Areas Act, and pass laws. Apartheid was internationally condemned and eventually dismantled through negotiation and reform.