SBONGAKONKE MNGOMA Grade 9D
HISTORICAL ESSAY WRITING
Group Areas Act (GAA)
In this essay I will be discussing the Group Areas Act, Defining the Apartheid, Descussing the passing of
law and the reasons behind its implement. We will look how did the Law benefit the government and
the impact of the chosen law on black South Africans.
Group Areas Act was the title of three acts of the parliament of South Africa enacted under the
apartheid government of South Africa. The Act assigned racial groups to different residential and
business sections in urban in a system of urban apartheid. (GAA) 1950 the cities and towns of South
Africa were divided into segregated residential.
An effect of the law was to exclude people of black South African from living in the most developed
areas, which were restricted to white (sea points). Purpose of the pass laws was to control the
movement of black, Indians and colored people in South africa, and they are considered one of the
most grievous methods that the South African government used to support apartheid. Apartheid was
the Africans apartness policy that governed relations between South Africa's white minority and non
white majority for much of the later half of the discrimination against non white.
SBONGAKONKE MNGOMA Grade 9D
Pass laws in the translation, or South African Republic were intended to force black people to circle in
specific places in order to provide what farmers with steady source of labour, This was known as
transparency. The pass laws, had in tackled police at any time to demand that Africans show them a
properly endorsed documents or face arrest. People attempted to use the court to overturn the GAA,
Though each time they were unsuccessful. Apartheid was wrong because they were treating blacks like
slaves in their own country and it was treated like filth class citizens in South Africa.
The pass laws were strengthened to enforce the segregation of the raced and prevent blacks from
entering into white areas. The nation's (abolition of passes and coordinated of documents) Act, enacted
in 1952, replaced passes with reference books ( dompass) that included detailed information, including
employment information and evaluations from employers, as well as finger prints. Every black man of at
least 16 years of age was required to carry a reference book at all times.
SBONGAKONKE MNGOMA Grade 9D
Firstly Government's signed it is determination to protect white workers interest Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa, 1996, Bill of Rights. This bill of right is a cornerstone of democracy in South
Africa, Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefits . The rule of
law is critical democratic principle that support democratic values and institutions. It provides a frame
work for promoting individual rights, Stability, Predictability, Accountability, Trust and Confidence, and
Protection of property and economic right.
The law led to people of black South African being forcibly removed for living in the” wrong" areas.
People of black South African, who were the majority at that time , were given much smaller areas
examples, (Grassy park) to live in than the white minority who owned most of the country. It established
residential and business sections in urban areas for each race ,and members of other races were buried
from living, operating business or owning land in them which lead to 2000 of colored, blacks and Indians
being removed from their places.
SBONGAKONKE MNGOMA Grade 9D
The Group Areas Act wasn't just a law it was a systematic and cruel means to segregate and control the
South African population. It effect were devastating tearing apart communities, perpetuating economic
inequalities, and living a legacy of pain and decision. In 1950 Group Areas Act was damaging policy that
shaped South Africa's urban landscape in a manner that institutionalized racial segregation and
inequality.
