Population Registration Act

The Population Registration Act

Table of contents

1 Introduction
2 Classifications
3 Office for Race Classification
4 Criteria
5 Administrational Difficulties
6 Other Laws

Introduction

The Population Registration Act of 1950

This law made provision that all inhabitants of South Africa be classified in accordance with their racial characteristics.

Classifications

There were three basic racial classifications: Black, White and Coloured (Mixed). Asian was later added (as they were seen as having no historical rite to the country)

Office for Race Classification

The Office for Race Classification was set to overview the classification process. Classification into groups was carried out using criteria such as outer appearance, general acceptance and social standing.

Criteria

For example, it defined a white person as one who "in appearance is obviously a white person who is generally not accepted as a Coloured person; or is generally accepted as a white person and is not in appearance obviously a white person."

Administrational Difficulties

Due to the fact that some aspects of the profile were of a social nature, reclassifications were a not uncommon. There was an extra Board set up to govern this.

Depending on which group one belonged, was a large influence on ones social rights, on political rights, educational opportunities and economic status

Other Laws

This law was not stand alone as an instrument of apartheid, but one of many designed to subdue those ethnic groups more populous than the circa 20% whites.

In order to compact the race controls other laws were ratified

Under the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 , marrying a person of a different race was illegal. With the enactment of the Immorality Amendment Act (Immorality Act) of 1957, it also became a crime to display intent / interest in conducting a relationship with a member of a different race.

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