Photo: Apartheid Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. The provocative entrance to the Apartheid Museum in Cape Town, South Africa.

Born in South Africa, I lived the first 30 plus years of my life under the oppressive system of apartheid where as a South African of Indian descent, my experiences were shaped by the rigid racial hierarchies enforced by law, which segregated and marginalised communities based on skin colour and ethnicity.

This article not only reflects on my personal journey but also examines the broader context of life under apartheid, particularly for Black South Africans, whose oppression formed the cornerstone of that brutal system.

The origins of apartheid

Apartheid, meaning “apartness” in Afrikaans, was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that began formally in 1948 when the National Party came to power.

However, the seeds of white supremacy were sown much earlier during colonial rule.

  • Colonial beginnings: Starting with Dutch settlement in 1652 and later British colonisation, racial hierarchies were established, favouring European settlers over indigenous peoples and other racial groups.
  • Union of South Africa (1910): When the Union of South Africa was formed, white minority rule was codified, with voting rights and land ownership restricted to whites.
  • Land acts and segregation: Laws like the 1913 Natives Land Act reserved the majority of arable land for whites, forcing Black South Africans into labour for white-owned farms and industries.

These early policies set the stage for apartheid, a system that institutionalised racial segregation and turned South Africa into an international symbol of injustice.

Life for Black South Africans under apartheid

The plight of Black South Africans under apartheid was one of profound suffering and systemic oppression:

Land and housing

  • Land dispossession: Black South Africans were confined to 13% of the country’s land, designated as “homelands” or Bantustans. These areas were underdeveloped, overcrowded, and economically nonviable.
  • Forced removals: Communities were evicted under laws like the Group Areas Act (1950), which designated urban areas for whites. Townships like Soweto were created to house Black workers far from white cities.

Employment and education

  • Job reservation: Laws ensured that Black South Africans could only hold low-paying, unskilled jobs. Skilled professions were reserved for whites.
  • Bantu Education Act (1953): This act created an inferior education system, ensuring that Black South Africans were prepared only for subservient roles in society. Schools were underfunded and overcrowded.

Social control and repression

  • Pass laws: Black South Africans were required to carry passbooks, restricting their movement and limiting access to urban areas. Failure to produce a passbook could result in arrest and imprisonment.
  • Police brutality: Any dissent was met with violence, as seen in events like the Sharpeville Massacre (1960) and the Soweto Uprising (1976).

Life for Indian South Africans

While not subjected to the same level of disenfranchisement as Black South Africans, Indian South Africans faced significant discrimination:

Segregation and relocation

  • Group Areas Act: Our family, like many others, was forcibly removed from areas deemed “white” and relocated to segregated Indian neighbourhoods. These areas were often under-resourced and far from economic opportunities.
  • Asiatic Land Tenure Act (1946): Known as the “Ghetto Act,” it restricted our ability to own property, confining us to designated areas.

Education and employment

  • Education: Schools for Indian children were separate and unequal. While marginally better than those for Black South Africans, they still lacked adequate funding and resources.
  • Employment: Many Indians were self-employed as traders or shopkeepers, but economic opportunities were limited by discriminatory laws and exclusion from skilled professions.

Cultural resilience

Despite these challenges, our community preserved its cultural identity through festivals, religious practices, and solidarity. This cultural resilience became a source of strength and defiance against the oppressive system.

Resistance and the path to freedom

Resistance to apartheid came from all sectors of society, including Indian South Africans. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi laid the foundation for nonviolent resistance during his time in South Africa, inspiring later movements. The African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and Natal Indian Congress (NIC) were instrumental in organizing protests, strikes, and defiance campaigns.

  • Collaboration across races: Organisations like the Congress Alliance brought together Indians, Africans, coloured’s, and progressive whites to fight apartheid collectively.
  • Youth movements: The Soweto Uprising, led by Black students in 1976, underscored the power of youth in resisting oppression.

A personal reflection

Growing up as an Indian South African during apartheid meant navigating a life of second-class citizenship. While we were not as severely oppressed as Black South Africans, the system ensured we were always reminded of our “place.”

I remember the pain of witnessing families torn apart by forced removals, the humiliation of being treated as inferior in public spaces, and the courage of those who resisted despite the risks. Our community’s ability to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity remains a testament to the human spirit.

Conclusion

Apartheid was a brutal system that dehumanised millions, but it also sparked a resistance movement that would ultimately triumph.

Reflecting on my life during this era, I am filled with a mix of sorrow for the suffering endured and pride in the resilience of all who fought for freedom.

The dismantling of apartheid in 1994 marked the beginning of a new chapter for South Africa—a chapter written with the blood, sweat, and tears of those who refused to accept oppression as their destiny.

Habib Jamal is a Trustee and Treasurer of the Gold Coast Mosque for the past 25 years. He is the president of Queensland Muslims Inc – a representative body of approximately 45 community based organisations in SE Queensland.