analysis of apartheid on womens lives in s.a
Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60's, a plan of ``Grand Apartheid'' was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression.
With the enactment of apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs. In 1950, the Population Registration Act required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: white, black (African), or colored (of mixed decent). The coloured category included major subgroups of Indians and Asians. Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social acceptance, and descent.
THE EFFECT OF APARTHEID ON WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS
African women in South Africa, being both black and female, suffered a triple oppression. As Africans—which for the most part defines their class position—they had to contend with the restrictive and repressive apartheid legislation, which ensures alien control over all facets of their lives. In addition, as women, they had to contend with the fact that they are regarded as dependants and as inferior to men; as such, they are even further discriminated against within the framework of apartheid.(Mathabane 1982) The rapid deterioration of the economic and social role of women since the establishment of apartheid had increased their workload to inhuman proportions as they try to produce enough from the land to feed their families. With the men off working as migrant labourers, the women face an arduous existence, working at their daily chores in