What did Apartheid and it laws mean for the ordinary non-white person living in South Africa?
Apartheid laws designated 4 races: white, black, coloured (mixed race) and Indian. Here are a few examples of these laws.
Family: Each race had to live in separate areas, therefore family members (especially from mixed race families) could be separated and forced to live away from each other.
Non-white people were forcibly removed from areas where they lived into other areas - even into 'transit camps'.
Marriage between 'races' was outlawed.
Not only living areas but transport, hospitals, schools, colleges, beaches and even park benches were segregated, with all the better facilities kept for whites.
An example in education: 644 South African Rands was spent each year for each White school children while only 42 Rands was budgeted for a Black school child.
Gradually, non-whites were disenfranchised - stripped of their right to vote.
All black people over 16 had to carry a 'pass' at all times in white areas. It was like an internal passport, with details like address, fingerprints, photograph, name of employer, his/her address, how long employed etc. An employer could be only a white person. The pass also showed legal permission (or not) to be in a certain area and the reason for such permission. Any government employee could cancel the permission to stay in the area.
Without a valid permission, officials would arrest and imprison the person with the pass.
Most passes were granted for only one individual (usually a man) for working, who then had to leave his wife and family behind.


He negotiated with the South African government whilst still in prison
He led the fight for free elections
He became South Africa's first elected black President
He fought for and achieved a peaceful transition to democracy
He led the way to international reconciliation
He started the long process of building social justice in South Africa.
Characteristics
Brave / Courageous
A good and strong leader
Altruistic (puts other first e.g. risks or gives life for others)
Clever
Visionary (has far reaching ideas)
Good or moral (strong beliefs or principles)
Has integrity (stands up for what they believe and act accordingly)
Perseverant / Tenacious (keeps going despite challenges)
Decisive
Single minded / Focused (has a purpose)
Inspiring / Charismatic
Determined
Wise
Honest
Kind and compassionate
Just and fair minded
Quotations
"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man." - Nelson Mandela 1962

"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." - Nelson Mandela at his trial in 1964
The 'terrorist' who became South Africa's first democratically elected president.
Nelson Mandela spent his young life fighting for the freedom of South Africa's black and coloured population from oppression imposed by the minority government. He was imprisoned for 27 years. Soon after release, he became the first president of South Africa in elections in which all the people could vote. He gave great priority to reconciliation between the races.



Mandela spent 27years . ..almost all his youthfulness in prison for his people....I will just miss him dearly the way i missed MJ...Goodbye mandiba...I love u(no homo)