Laws in Apartheid South Africa

Admission of Persons to the Union Regulation Act No 22

Aug 1, 1913

This act prohibited the immigration in the Union and prevented moving between provinces in the Union. However, if Indians wished to commute between provinces, they needed permission. This act deterred people from moving into South Africa and from citizens of different races fraternizing.

Native (Black) Urban Areas Act No 21

Jun 14, 1923

This act put the responsibility of overseeing black people in specific areas on local authority. Black people who were not living in the area due to employment, were controlled by the Native Advisory Boards. In addition, South Africa was separated into prescribed and non-prescribed parts. Travel was prohibited between the two parts. This act initiated the legitimate physical barriers between the different races in South Africa.

Black (Native) Administration Act No 38

Sep 1, 1927

This act allowed the forcible removal (without any prior warning) of any black native from their home to a residence only within a black (native) designated location. This created a widespread fear of eviction and homelessness all across the black community at the time. Also, this act made abusing power extremely easy considering the minister could order a removal at any given time.

Immorality Act No 5

Sep 30, 1927

This law prevented any sexual or romantic relations outside of an existing marriage between black and white people. This act led to a fear of getting caught and punished among the small population of people engaging in these affairs at the time. The punishment would have been a lot more punitive for the black person in the relationship.

Aliens Act No 1

Feb 1, 1937

This act required the overseeing of aliens coming into the country. This was particularly directed towards Jewish aliens. The second part of this law was the right for the government to change your last name at any given time. This ended up changing a lot of the surnames in families.

Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act No 55

Jul 8, 1949

This act prevented the marriage between non-white people and whites. This law didn't really have that much of an impact on the majority of marriages or couples in South Africa at the time since few white people were romantically involved with colored/ black people.

Population Registration Act No 30

Jul 7, 1950

This act created a nationally recognized registry. The registry divided people into four different races based on obscure biological attributes in people from birth. This law was significant because sometimes, people in the same families were classified as a different race than their family members. Sometimes, people were even switched to a different race of color.

Reservation of Separate Amenities Act No 49

Oct 9, 1953

This act permitted public establishments to have separate areas for different races. Also, cities amenities were allowed to prohibit any non-whites because cities were technically designated for whites only. This was significant as it was official the segregation of races in South Africa.

Riotous Assemblies Act No 17

Mar 16, 1956

This act allowed the Minister of Justice to put an end to any protest in public, open locations that he deemed threatening to public peace. It also officially recognized banishment as legal punishment. This was significant because it separated the fearless protesters that truly wanted to advance the equal treatment during the apartheid from others.

Sexual Offences Act (Immorality Act) No 23 (s 16)

Apr 12, 1957

This act prohibited any kind of sexual conduct between whites and non-whites. This was the most strict out of the Immorality Acts, and ended the legal sexual interaction of any kind.