Group Areas Act
Encyclopedia
The Group Areas Act of 1950 (Act No. 41 of 1950) was an act of parliament
created under the apartheid government of South Africa
on 27th April 1950. The act assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas in a system of urban apartheid. An effect of the law was to exclude non-Whites from living in the most developed areas, which were restricted to Whites (e.g., Sea Point
). It caused many non-Whites to have to commute large distances from their homes in order to be able to work. The law led to non-Whites being forcibly removed for living in the "wrong" areas. The non-white majority were given much smaller areas to live in than the white minority who owned most of the country. Pass Laws
required that non-Whites carry pass books, and later 'reference books' (similar to passports) to enter the 'white' parts of their own country.
The act of 1950 was replaced by the Group Areas Act, 1957 which was in turn replaced by the Group Areas Act, 1966. This act was repealed on 5 June 1991 along with the Natives Land Act of 1913.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
created under the apartheid government of South Africa
Government of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
on 27th April 1950. The act assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas in a system of urban apartheid. An effect of the law was to exclude non-Whites from living in the most developed areas, which were restricted to Whites (e.g., Sea Point
Sea Point
Sea Point is one of Cape Town's most affluent and densely populated suburbs, situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, a few kilometres to the west of Cape Town's Central Business District . Moving from Sea Point to the CBD, one passes through first the small suburb of Three Anchor Bay,...
). It caused many non-Whites to have to commute large distances from their homes in order to be able to work. The law led to non-Whites being forcibly removed for living in the "wrong" areas. The non-white majority were given much smaller areas to live in than the white minority who owned most of the country. Pass Laws
Pass laws
Pass laws in South Africa were designed to segregate the population and limit severely the movements of the non-white populace. This legislation was one of the dominant features of the country's apartheid system. The Black population were required to carry these pass books with them when outside...
required that non-Whites carry pass books, and later 'reference books' (similar to passports) to enter the 'white' parts of their own country.
The act of 1950 was replaced by the Group Areas Act, 1957 which was in turn replaced by the Group Areas Act, 1966. This act was repealed on 5 June 1991 along with the Natives Land Act of 1913.