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The growth of apartheid, 1955 to 59
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In the later 1950s apartheid was extended into every corner of life, and a plan was made to give Black South Africans separate 'homelands'.
Petty apartheid
Petty apartheid was the everyday segregation of places such as buses, toilets, benches, beaches and post offices.
Grand apartheid was the bigger plan to separate races by territory.
Grand apartheid was the bigger plan to separate races by territory.
Verwoerd and Vorster
Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of much of apartheid, became Prime Minister in 1958.
John Vorster, later Minister of Justice (1961) and Prime Minister (1966), led a tough crackdown on opponents.
John Vorster, later Minister of Justice (1961) and Prime Minister (1966), led a tough crackdown on opponents.
Bantu Self-Government Act (1959)
It set up separate homelands (Bantustans) for each Black ethnic group.
Black South Africans were to become citizens of their homeland, not of South Africa, even if they lived and worked in 'white' cities.
The homelands were poor and overcrowded and covered only a small share of the land.
Black South Africans were to become citizens of their homeland, not of South Africa, even if they lived and worked in 'white' cities.
The homelands were poor and overcrowded and covered only a small share of the land.
Why did the government create homelands?
- It wanted Black South Africans to be citizens of separate homelands.
- Then they would have no claim to rights or votes in South Africa.
- This would keep the rest of the country under white control.
Answer: To strip Black South Africans of South African citizenship and rights.
Petty apartheid segregated daily life; grand apartheid divided the land. Verwoerd (PM from 1958) and Vorster extended apartheid and crushed opposition. The Bantu Self-Government Act (1959) created homelands, removing Black people's rights in South Africa.
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