The South African government, led by the white minority, implemented a system of racial segregation known as apartheid. This system of racial segregation denied the majority of South Africans, who were black, their basic human rights and freedoms. This system of racial segregation was enforced through laws and policies that restricted the rights of black South Africans and gave preferential treatment to white South Africans. This system of racial segregation lasted until 1994, when the first democratic elections were held in South Africa.
