The Rise of Apartheid
In May 1948, Smuts United Party fought Dr Malan's National Party in the General Election. Smuts had already been prime minister for 14 years.
The National Party won an overall majority, and Dr Malan formed the all-Afrikaner Government.
Apartheid means apartness. Dr Malan used the word apartheid because it described exactly his party's policy of separating blacks and whites into district areas. There was nothing new about this idea of separation and most politicians in South Africa supported it. The difference was that in 1948, Malan put is policies into practice. The races were separated in all spheres of life.
Over the next five years, Malan's government organized the passing of laws to set up a apartheid state.
Acts Passed During Apartheid
| 1949 | |
| Mixed
Marriages Act
Banning marriages between people of a different race. |
|
| 1950 | |
| Population
Registration Act
Every person was classified as a white, coloured or native. |
|
| Suppression
Of Communism Act
Banning of supporters of communism and anyone who defied the apartheid laws. |
|
| Group
Areas Act
The races were separated and lived in different areas. |
|
| Immorality
Act
Banning of sexual relations between people of a different race. |
|
| 1952 | |
| New
Passes Law
Passes had to be carried by all natives at all times. |
|
| Native
Law Amendment Act
The undesirable natives were to be removed from towns to reserves. |
|
| 1953 | |
| Separate
Amenities Act
Races had to be separated in public areas. |
|
| Bantu
Education Act
Separate schools were formed for natives to prepare them for an inferior position in society. |
Politicians in the past, put their segregation policies into practice fully as black workers were needed in factories and it was thought that segregation would be an economical disaster.
Dr Malan recognised that many whites were worried about white unemployment, crime and rising prices, and it was easy to blame the natives. He also blamed communists for causing problems.
