25 YEARS OF THE SCRAPPING OF APARTHEID LAWS

F W DE KLERK SCRAPPED APARTHEID LAWS 25 YEARS AGO BUT THE PRIVILEGES OF THE PAST ARE A DISTANT DREAM FOR MOST BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS) This week is not only the 39th anniversary of the period in June 1976 when the school children of Soweto and other black townships in South Africa sacrificed their lives for better and equal education, but it's also the 25th anniversary of the removal of all apartheid laws. These apartheid laws downgraded and kept the majority black people in perpetual servitude for more than 300 years. Subry Govender looks back in time when the memorable steps were taken to end racial discrimination and domination in South Africa. (BY SUBRY GOVENDER)

(Mr F W de Klerk, last white president of South Africa) The last white President of South Africa, Frederik Willem de Klerk, scrapped the notorious apartheid laws 25 years ago, soon after he took measures to release Nelson Mandela from prison on February 11 1990. (GROUP AREAS ACT) Several laws were part of South Africa's system of racial segregation: the Natives Land Act of 1913 - which restricted black ownership of land to only the 13 percent of the land that could be described as the most arid and devastated areas of the country; the Group Areas Act of 1950 - which regulated residential segregation of the people according to race and preserved the most valuable and serviced areas for the white minority; the Population Registration Act - which classified people according to race; and the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act - which enforced the segregation of all public facilities and preserved the best municipal facilities such as swimming pools, beaches and sporting areas for the white minority. "WHITES ONLY" It was a common sight at that time to see the best beaches marked for "whites only" and the worst facilities for people of color. (PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT) All these laws ensured that the minority whites were given preferential treatment in the provision of education, health, sporting, and other municipal and national services. When introducing measures to scrap these laws, De Klerk told the apartheid parliament that he and his government were serious in changing the political situation so that there could peaceful negotiations for a new constitutional and democratic order. "With the steps the Government has taken, it has proven its good faith and the table is laid for sensible leaders to begin talking about a new dispensation," he had said. "These decisions by the Cabinet are in accordance with the Government's declared intention to normalize the political process in South Africa, a new democratic constitution, equality before an independent judiciary, a sound economy based on proven economic principles and private enterprise, dynamic programs directed at better education, health services, housing and social conditions for all".

(RIGHT-WING UP IN ARMS CALLS DE KLKER A TRAITOR) The new moves to scrap South Africa's apartheid laws earned him the wrath of right-wing white opposition parties and extremists. The leader of then Conservative Partty, Dr Andries Treunicht, said the scrapping of the apartheid laws struck at the roots of white community life. "It is surprising," he had said, "that South Africa has the only leader in the Western world who is negotiating himself, his party and his people out of power". (DE KLERK UNSHAKEN) But De Klerk was unshaken by the venomous attacks and instead appealed to the white parliament and the international community. He said: "I ask of Parliament to assist me on the road ahead, there is much to be done. I call on the international community to re-evaluate its position and to adopt a positive attitude towards the dynamic evolution which is taking place in South Africa."

(Mr Nelson Mandela) (MANDELA PRAISES DE KLERK) Leaders of the black majority, including Nelson Mandela, congratulated De Klerk for his courage and bravery. Here's what Mandela said at that time: "Mr De Klerk has gone further than any other nationalist president in taking real steps to normalize the situation. It must be added that Mr De Klerk himself is a man of integrity who is acutely aware of the dangers of a public figure not honoring his undertaking."

(ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU) One of the leading anti-apartheid leaders at that time was Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He also praised De Klerk while addressing a rally in Cape Town at the same time that De Klerk announced the scrapping the apartheid laws. He said: "When you hear people like Mr De Klerk speaking that white domination must go, they acknowledge that they have been perpetrating a system of domination, racial domination." (WHAT HAS CHANGED 25 YEARS LATER?) Today, however, 25 years later, while the apartheid laws are no longer in force, not much has changed in the privileges and advantages that the white minority enjoyed in education, health, security and other facilities that they had preserved for themselves during the apartheid era. There has also not been much change in so far land ownership is concerned.

(MR YUNUS CARRIM) Mr Yunus Carrim, a former political activist who is a member of parliament and a former government minister, told me in an interview that the Zuma Government understood THAT a lot still needed to be done to overcome the inequalities of the apartheid era. "The new non-racial government has taken various measures to create a better life for all but we fully understand there's a great deal more to be done to bring about equality," he said. (BETTER LIFE A DISTANT DREAM FOR MANY) There's no doubt that while the black majority have political power and control, access to a better life is still a distant dream for a large percentage of the people.