South African political history

South Africa’s political history is marked by centuries of colonialism, with Dutch and British rule shaping its early governance. In the 20th century, racial segregation laws, known as apartheid (1948–1994), enforced racial discrimination and marginalization of non-white populations. Resistance movements, notably the ANC and Nelson Mandela, fought for equality, leading to the end of apartheid and the first democratic elections in 1994. Since then, South Africa has worked to build a multiracial society with a constitutional democracy, addressing economic disparities and ongoing social challenges while striving for unity and development.