Page 216 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol I - Abraham to Coal

apartheid in south africa 101

The Natives’
Land Act of 1913

This act provided the basis for the separation of
have self-determination and not be forced to live under whites and indigenous Africans in rural South
alien rule. Africa.
Self-determination only began, however, once the
To make further provision as to the purchase and
Africans entered their homeland. They were not given a
leasing of Land by Natives and other Persons in
choice of whether to move or not, though many of them
the several parts of the Union and for other pur-
had lived for generations in cities and never been near
poses in connection with the ownership and
their designated homeland. Furthermore, many Africans
occupation of Land by Natives and other Persons.
came from diverse ancestries, with (for example) a Xhosa
Be it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent
grandfather and a Sotho grandmother, or some other
Majesty, the Senate and the House of Assembly
combination of the nine different groups. Now, however,
of the Union of South Africa, as follows:
they found themselves with a pass book that officially
labeled them as belonging to one group or another and 1. From and after the commencement of this
as citizens of that homeland. They were aliens in South Act, land outside the scheduled native areas shall,
Africa—a country that theoretically now had a white until Parliament, acting upon the report of the
majority population. commission appointed under this Act, shall have
Verwoerd’s policy of “separate development” raised made other provision, be subjected to the fol-
apartheid to a new level of systematized racism. This lowing provisions, that is to say:
began the era of truly “grand” apartheid: Not only did the Except with the approval of the Governor-
petty racism of “whites only” park benches and beaches General—
affected everyday life, now every moment of one’s life was a) a native shall not enter into any agreement
determined by one’s racial classification, from racially or transaction for the purchase, hire, or other
designated hospitals for one’s birth to racially desig- acquisition from a person other than a native, of
nated cemeteries for one’s burial. Coloreds, Asians, and any such land or of any right thereto, interest
Africans could not move freely about the country, could therein, or servitude thereover; and
not freely choose their place of residence or employment, b) a person other than a native shall not enter
and could not vote or own land.African workers in cities into any agreement or transaction for the pur-
and on the mines were considered transients, and had to chase, hire, or other acquisition from a native of
return regularly to their “homeland.” Only those with per- any such land or of any right thereto, interest
mits could live in “white” areas, and they were not therein, or servitude thereover.
allowed to bring with them their spouse or family, thus
2. From and after the commencement of this
contributing to the breakdown of African family life.
Act, no person other than a native shall purchase,
Blacks were forced to live in African, Asian, or colored
hire or in any other manner whatever acquire any
townships on the perimeter of urban areas.Africans, col-
land in a scheduled native area or enter into any
oreds, and Asians (but not whites) were required at all
agreement or transaction for the purchase, hire or
times to carry pass books, known as “Books of Life”
other acquisition, direct or indirect, of any such
because they contained all of a person’s identity, includ-
land or of any right thereto or interest therein or
ing marriage and driver’s licenses, birth certificate, and
servitude thereover, except with the approval of
work permit.
the Governor-General.
In 1963 the apartheid regime granted the first of the
Bantustans, the Transkei (a Xhosa “homeland”), limited Source: The Natives’ Land Act, 1913. Retrieved from http://www.polity.org.za/
html/govdocs/legislation/misc/nla1913.html
self-government. Between 1976 and 1981, the Transkei,
Bophuthatswana (Tswana), Venda (Venda), and Ciskei