Why did apartheid start?

Answer 1

The term Apartheid was introduced during the 1948 as part of the election campaign by DF Malan's Herenigde Nasionale Party(HNP - 'Reunited National Party'). But racial segregation had been in force for many decades in South Africa. In hindsight, there is something of an inevitability in the way the country developed its extreme policies. When the Union of South Africa was formed on 31 May 1910, Afrikaner Nationalists were given a relatively free hand to reorganize the country's franchise according to existing standards of the now-incorporated Boer republics, the Zuid Afrikaansche Repulick (ZAR - South African Republic or Transvaal) and Orange Free State. Non-Whites in the Cape Colony had some representation, but this would prove to be short-lived.

This however only says HOW Apartheid began. The true meaning was because the white South Africans found it difficult to teach their technology to the local Black population and had to enforce a system so that they didn't mix with them. At the time (1948) around the world Black people (even in America) were considered second class, but here it lastes until 1994 because the white population were a minority ironically. If Apartheid did end (which is did) they feared that the uneducated black population would rush into towns and cities and not know how to properly function in those types of daily conditions. For example they tried lighting fires in their newly bought apartments as a method to keep warm. Obviously this didn't work. This has actually happened.

Answer 2

Apartheid started with English colonialism. It was then a 'cultural' apartheid. When SA became a colony in 1961, the white SAfrican were 'employed' as police members under English rule to enforce a "pass" system intended for blacks. The essence of this was to control access to suburban areas, the rule being if a black had no business there, he was not allowed there.

This evolved into seperate development, and under Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd became very successful: Look at states created under the Verwoerd rule - Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and others. Townships created where proper 3 bedroomed houses were GIVEN away were many, but good examples are Soshanguve, Mabopane and many many others. Failures were Venda and Bophuthatswana. Reason for failure was corruption: To such an extent that it was considered to "import" Zulu rulers. However, Verwoerd was then killed, and the whole plan was turned upside down for political use and slander.

Answer 3

apartheid was mainly started for the africans