South Africa Fact Sheet South Africa enters the 1990's at a critical crossroads of hope and danger: the government has finally bowed to popular resistance both inside the country and abroad and has taken the first steps toward creating a unified, non-racial and democratic country. It lifted the national state of emergency, unbanned political groups, released a significant number of political prisoners and entered into the first phase of talks with the African National Congress. But apartheid is far from dead. While much has changed, much more remains in place. South Africa is a society in which apartheid has created massive problems of poverty and socio-economic injustice to the point where there will be no easy solutions, whatever government comes into power. Black lives, aspirations and rights remain curtailed and controlled by legislation denying them the right to vote or own land. In addition fear, violence and repressive legislation remain integral tools of government control. There is growing evidence of a surrogate war against apartheid's opponents waged through vigilante front men who have claimed thousands of lives in what is labeled "tribal" violence. Police and army assassination squads have been publicly linked with the deaths of many activists. In 1990, hopes were raised that apartheid would soon come to an end. But an accurate picture of the extent and consequences of apartheid is vital for anyone concerned with helping the transition forward. This Fact Sheet highlights key markers for an accurate assessment of change in South Africa. Population versus Land Distribution, 1988 Land Distribution Under the Land Acts of 1913 and 1936, 87% of the 2.6% 14% country's territory was reserved for whites, 13% for Africans. The area 8.7% Asians Africans reserved for Africans grew to 14% in 1988 as a result of the ongoing ColouredsA campaign by the Government to incorporate townships into the bantustans (see below). Africans can only own land in the bantustans and in certain designated African Townships. Asians and Coloureds must live in segregated //13.8% areas in the territory reserved for whites. Whites Africans 26,974,500 74.9% Asians 928,000 2.6% Colored 3,127,000 8.7% White 4,949 000 13.8% TOTAL 35,975,500 100% Population Land Distribution * Includes an estimated 6.4 million Africans living in Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei (TBVC). Forced Removals: Between 1960 and 1986, the South African government Apartheid Definitions removed more than 3.5 million Blacks - more than 10% of the total South Apartheid: An Afrikaans word which literally translated means "separate African population - from "white areas" to areas set aside for Blacks. ness." A system that enables a small white minority to maintain political, social Removals continued. and economic control of the Black majority and consequently maintain its own wealth, power and privilege. Government The Bantustans: Ten fragmented geographical areas designated as "homelands," serve as reservations for Africans. In 1988 approximately 14 The South Africa Act of 1909 and the Republic of South Africa Act of 1961 million Africans lived in the ten bantustans. Four of these areas - Transkei, effectively restricted voting for and membership in the governing parliament to Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei (TBVC) - have been artificially declared whites. The South African Constitution of 1984 established a tricameral independent by the South African government, although no other country in the parliament with one dominant chamber for whites and chambers for Coloureds world has diplomatically recognized these areas. Africans declared citizens of and Asians. The election of Coloureds and Asians to the parliament was the bantustans lost their South African citizenship, even if they lived in other successfully boycotted by opposition organizations because the new constitu parts of the country. tion further entrenched the apartheid division of races and totally excluded Africans. At least 9 million people in the bantustans live below the poverty line, and about 1.4 million have no measurable income. The names of the ten bantustans In the last two "African only" municipal elections at least 80% of eligible are: Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Gazankulu, KaNgwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, African voters stayed away. In 100 wards the elections had to be suspended as Lebowa, Qwa-Qwa, Transkei, Venda. there were no candidates. Apartheid Control Prison Population: By mid-1990 there were at least 320 people on death row, 55 for political reasons, 99% of them are Black. In September 1990, South The Pillars of Apartheid: The pillars of apartheid remain in place under Africa's political prisoner population remained at over 3,000 despite the the present constitution. The denial of effective political power to the majority reforms of February 2nd. of the people of South Africa because of the color of their skin is the main pillar of apartheid. Other laws that are critical to apartheid's structure and control The Police: The security forces remain a violent force of repression against include: the Black population. In the first six months of 1990 the police killed at least 200 people and wounded nearly 2,300. The Goldstone Commission, a govern " The Population Registration Act classifies people according to race and in ment investigation into the massacre at Sebokeng in March 1990, found that the case of Africans tribal background. 84 of the 241 people who had been shot were shot in the back. " The Group Areas Act continues to enforces racial segregation of neighbor hoods and schools although a small number of legally open areas have been Between 1984 and 1988 the security forces killed 1,113 people in quelling created under the Free Settlement Act of 1989. unrest. - The Land Acts of 1913 and 1936 reserved 87% of the territory for the white Assassinations: Human rights activists in South Africa believe that the 53 population and allow Africans to own land only in the bantustans and in documented cases of political assassination in South Africa represent only the certain designated African townships. tip of an iceberg. Both the Harms and the Hiemstra Official Commissions of These laws and supporting legislation continue to control movement, Inquiry into these assassinations publicly uncovered government "hit squads" opportunity for employment, education and access to health care for the operating in the army and the police force. African population from birth to death. Vigilantes: In the mid-1980s, human rights groups in South Africa began Security Legislation: The legal structures for apartheid repression also to report an increased government reliance on a network of extra-legal remain in place, largely unchanged. violence by Black vigilantes. These vigilantes often operate openly, enjoy the support of the police and target members of organizations associated with Act of 1982 allows for indefinite detention without * The Internal Security resistance to apartheid or bantustan rule. charge or trial of any person considered a threat to the regime. It allows denial of the right of access by lawyers, private doctors or family to the Restrictions on the Press: There are more the 100 laws which can be used detainee and allows for the censorship or banning of publications, banning to regulate the press and prevent coverage of events or individuals. of organizations, restriction on movement and random police searches of Restrictions on Trade Unions: In September 1988 the Government passed individuals. (The law also makes it illegal to render assistance to any the Labor Relations Amendment Act which undermines workers' rights in the campaign, domestic or international, that seeks to modify or repeal any law areas of collective bargaining, unfair dismissals and strike law. if such a campaign aids a banned organization.) * The Public Safety Act of 1953 allows for the declaration of a state of Legislation Regulating U.S. Companies: Under the National Key Points emergency and the suspension of normal judicial procedures. Act of 1980 the Minister of Defense is empowered to declare any area a Key * The Public Safety Amendment Act of 1986 gives the government the same Point requiring the proprietor to provide security supervision from the armed far reaching powers as if under a state of emergency without having to forces. These provisions are applicable to U.S. corporations in South Africa. declare an emergency by declaring localized "unrest areas." Laws, including the National Supplies Procurement Act, can be used to Detentions: 75,000 people have been detained in South Africa since 1960, require U.S. firms to sell goods and services to the South African government. over 2,000 since the end of 1989. There have been thousands of documented U.S. corporations can be required to sell to the military and prevented from cases of torture and abuse of detainees. Electric shocks, beatings, sleep publicly revealing such sales or other agreements with the government.Oil deprivation and isolation are amongst the most common methods. Over 95 companies are particularly restricted by South Africa laws. people are known to have died in detention since 1963. International Relations Health Sanctions: The United Nations Security Council imposed a mandatory arms Infant Mortality: The average annual Atncan infant mortality rate is about embargo on South Africa in 1977. Most members of the European Economic 100 per 1,000 live births - it is estimated to be double that in rural areas Community, the Commonwealth and the nonaligned movement as well as the contrasted with 12 per 1,000 among whites. The average life expectancy for Nordic States, the U.S. and Japan have imposed some type of economic Africans is about 15 years less than for whites. sanctions against South Africa Malnutrition: South Africa is one of the few food exporting countries in the South Africa and its Neighbors: South Africa illegally occupied neigh world, yet approximately one-third of Black children are chronically undernour boring Namibia until 1990 and has periodically occupied southern Angola (with ished.