1991 – South African Government Repeals Population Registration Act

On June 15, 1991, South Africa\’s apartheid government repealed the Population Registration Act, a cornerstone of institutionalized racial segregation. Originally enacted in 1950, the law had required every South African to be racially classified at birth, enforcing a rigid system that divided people into \”White,\” \”Black,\” \”Coloured,\” or \”Indian.\” The repeal of this law was a monumental legislative step toward ending apartheid and dismantling the racial hierarchy enforced by decades of white minority rule. This move came amid international pressure and internal unrest, and it signaled the government’s increasing willingness to engage in democratic reform. It paved the way for further negotiations with the African National Congress (ANC) and leaders like Nelson Mandela, ultimately leading to the first democratic elections in 1994. This repeal was both symbolic and substantive in South Africa’s journey toward racial equality and justice.