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On 27th 1994, all 'South Afriacn were allowed to cast their vote in the first free and democartic elections in the country. After years of humailiatin apartheid laws, and ongoing struggle agianst repression and voilence, the South African people had trimuphed. "The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more groundas, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, martial status, ethnic or social origin, sexual oriantion, age disabilty, religion, conscience, belief, culture. language and birth."

In 1948, the National Party, under the leadership of Df Malan, was voted into the power on the election ticket of apartheid. With the implacemten of apartheid, black peole faced amore determinde and systemactic onslaught of their freedoms.

- All South Africans were being classified accourding to race - Race determined where a person wwas bron, educated, live and was buried - Diffrent racial groups were not allowed to marr, nor were allowed to have sexuall relations - Blacks were not allowed to live in the same areas as whites.The pass lows were strengthened, making it more difficult for Africans to enter the so-called white cities. - Black people weren't allowed to use the same publice faciliteies as White people

In the 1950s, there was a groundswell of resistance as black South Africans responded to the loss of their freedoms through a series of campaigns of protests. The African National Congress (ANC) had carried the banner of protests for black people against unjust laws and racials discrimination since 1912.Until this piont, the ANC had adopted a moderate stance against the goverment's segrigation policies, protesting through petitions and deputations. Now they promoted active campaigns of non-violent confrontaion against the goverment.

The goverment tried to turn the African reseves into seprate countries or homelands, in these homelands, Africans would be given freedoms. In this way the govermet extended the myth of South Africa as a democartic nation, living alonside separte countries which would also enjoy full democracy. In reality, the majority of South Africans were stripped of their citezenship and their urban rights.

In order to implement this policy, the goverment frocibly removed over three and a half million people into the poverty stricken homelands which had no, facilities, nor any possibilties for making a living. Outside of the Soviet Union, these were the largest froced removels in the world.

The ideas Black Consciousness began to appeal to African youth in school who were angrey at the poor quality of education for young africans. Many of them faced the prospect of unemployment and a life of hardship when they finished school.

In 1989, the goverment finally realised that it could no longer ignore the demands of black people for political rights. In 1990, under the leadership of FW de Klerk, Nelson Mnadela and his comrades were released from jail, the ANC, PAC and the South African Communist Party (SACP) were unbanned and apartheid lwas were abolished. Responding to mass resistance and increasing international pressure, the white South African goverment had taken its first steps to freedom. In 1960, the Anti-Apartheid Movement was set up by South African exiles and local sympathjises in Britain and Swedan. Starting in the 1963, the efforts

In 1989, the government finally realised that it could no longer ignore the demands of blacks for political rights. In 1990, under the leadership of FW de Klerk, Nelson Mandela and his comrades were released from jail the ANC, PAC and the South African Communist Party (SACP) were unbanned and apartheid laws were abolished.Responding to mass resistance and increasing international pressure, the white South African government had taken its first steps to freedom.

The first democratic elections in South Africa were preceded by much uncertalnty. Fears of violence gripped the country. Would the hostile right-wing opposition commit acts of sabotage? Would Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi's non-Involvement In the elections provoke further clashes between Inkatha and the ANC? Would the former leaders of the homelands react violently to their re-Incorporation? The Conservative Party finally agreed to stand, and at the last minute, Chief Buthelezi agreed to co-operate. The IFP had to be added hurriedly to the election list.