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South AfricaIn Afrikaans, one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, apartheid means“apartness.” Apartheid also defines a strict policy of racial segregation mandatedby an all-white South African government from the 1940s to the 1990s. Manycountries worldwide opposed apartheid, and some countries expressed theirdisapproval by refusing to trade with South Africa.By law, apartheid denied the nonwhite majority the right to vote and requiredthe separation of races in housing, school, employment, transportation, and publicfacilities such as movie theaters, restaurants, and parks. Many South Africansopposed segregation and staged boycotts, demonstrations, and strikes in protest. Inresponse to growing domestic and international pressure to end apartheid, theSouth African government began repealing the laws in the 1970s. The last of theselaws were abolished in 1991. In the spring of 1994, political activist NelsonMandela triumphed over his white opponent to become South Africa’sfirst black president. On the day of his election, Mandela rejoiced:“To the people of South Africa and the world who arewatching: this is a joyous night for the human spirit.This is your victory, too. . . . Free at last!”Here’s a snapshot of South Africa.Geographical area 471,445 sq. mi.Population 43,647,658CapitalsPretoria, administrativeCape Town, legislativeBloemfontein, judicialLegal systemBased on Roman-Dutch law andEnglish common lawLanguageAfrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho,Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, ZuluReligion68% Christian, 2% Muslim, 15% HinduLife expectancy 45 yearsCritical Thinking Question Nelson Mandela and the South African people made theworld a better place by standing up for their beliefs. List some of the things that youmight do to make your community a better place. For more information on SouthAfrica, visit ubpl.glencoe.com or your local library.Chapter 11: How Contracts Come to an End 227