Which areas were affected by the Group Areas Act?
The Group Areas Act allowed for the infamous destruction of Sophiatown, a suburb of Johannesburg. In February 1955, 2,000 policemen began removing Sophiatown residents to Meadowlands, Soweto and established the suburb as an area for whites only, newly called Triomf (Victory).
What happened in Group Areas Act?
Under the Group Areas Act (1950) the cities and towns of South Africa were divided into segregated residential and business areas. Thousands of Coloureds, Blacks, and Indians were removed from areas classified for white occupation. The Group Areas Act and the Land Acts maintained residential segregation.
How successful was the Group Areas Act?
In 1924, the Smuts and then the Pact government aimed to pass the “Class Areas Bill,” which would have restricted Indian residential and trading rights. However, the Bill was never passed, as it was faced with vehement opposition within South Africa as well as abroad (Horrell, 1978: 5).
How did the Group Areas Act end?
On 19 April 1990, President Frederick Willem de Klerk announced in Parliament that the Group Areas Act of 1950 will be replaced by new non-discriminatory measures acceptable to all Houses of Parliament.
Why was Group Areas Act implemented?
Apartheid as a system was obsessed with separating the citizens of South Africa on a racial basis. This was done to foster White superiority and to entrench the minority White regime at the expense of the Black majority.
What made District Six a target of the Group Areas Act?
In 1966, the apartheid government declared District Six a “white” area under its racial segregation policy. Most residents were forcibly moved because they were black or mixed-race and bulldozers destroyed their homes.
When did Separate Amenities Act end?
20 June 1990
On 20 June 1990, the South African Parliament voted to repeal the Act, and on 15 October 1990, it was finally repealed by the Discriminatory Legislation regarding Public Amenities Repeal Act. A notable exception to the segregation that was implemented following the Act was the Johannesburg Zoo and Zoo Lake.
When was Group Areas Act passed and what did it provide for?
On 27 April 1950, the Apartheid government passed the Group Areas Act. This Act enforced the segregation of the different races to specific areas within the urban locale. It also restricted ownership and the occupation of land to a specific statutory group.
Why did the National Party destroy Sophiatown?
Sophiatown, in the suburbs of Johannesburg, was once known for its bohemian lifestyle and vibrant music scene. But 60 years ago, the South African government decided to clear the multi-racial neighbourhood to turn it into a whites-only area.
What powers did the Group Areas Act gave the government?
In 1948 after the elections, the South African government started its apartheid policy. The policy was to separate people based on their skin color. The South African nonwhites were separated from whites.
Why did they remove District 6?
South Africa’s white minority government in 1966 listed District 6 as a “white” area under its racial segregation policy. Most residents were forcibly moved because they were black or mixed-race and bulldozers destroyed their homes.
What is District 6 called now?
Zonnebloem
District Six, or Zonnebloem as it is officially known, is one step closer to being District Six again. The paperwork for the name change for the area near Cape Town’s city centre, made famous by forced evictions during the apartheid era, is now with the Geographical Names Council.