: Ongoing strikes, township revolts, and the work of the United Democratic Front (UDF) made the country nearly ungovernable.
By the late 1980s, the system was becoming unsustainable due to a combination of factors: South Africa: The Rise and Fall of Apartheid
: The end of the Cold War removed the government's excuse that it was a "bulwark against communism," making it easier for Western allies to withdraw support. : Ongoing strikes, township revolts, and the work
: Police killed 69 unarmed protesters demonstrating against pass laws. This event led to the banning of the ANC and PAC, pushing the movement toward armed struggle. This event led to the banning of the
: In 1990, President F.W. de Klerk unbanned opposition parties and released Nelson Mandela. After four years of tense negotiations, the first multiracial elections were held on April 27, 1994 , resulting in Mandela becoming the country’s first Black president. Enduring Legacy
Apartheid (meaning "apartness" in Afrikaans ) was a formal system of institutionalized racial segregation and white minority rule in South Africa that lasted from . While racial discrimination existed in South Africa for centuries under Dutch and British colonial rule, the 1948 election of the National Party (NP) codified these practices into rigid, all-encompassing laws. The Rise of Apartheid (1948–1960s)