What happens during apartheid?

Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination enacted in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Apartheid policies classified citizens into four racial groups: white, black, coloured and Asian. These groups were separated in their daily lives, including where they could live, work, study, and socialise. The white minority held political power and controlled most of the country's resources, while the black majority faced severe discrimination and oppression. Many apartheid laws denied black people their basic human rights.

During apartheid, black people and other non-white citizens were:

* denied the right to vote and participate in the country's governance.

* restricted in their movements and could not live in white areas without permits.

* forced to attend racially segregated schools, hospitals, and public places.

* prohibited from marrying or socialising with people of other races.

* banned from certain jobs and careers

The African National Congress (ANC) spearheaded the resistance to apartheid by organizing protests, advocating for change, and working towards the liberation of the black population.

The fight against apartheid gained international attention leading to pressure on the South African government. In 1990, then-president F.W. de Klerk released ANC leader Nelson Mandela from prison and began negotiating an end to apartheid.

Apartheid laws were finally repealed in 1994, and Mandela became South Africa's first black president, marking a crucial moment in the country's journey towards democracy and equality.