Over 200 laws were enacted during the Apartheid from 1948 to 1994. These laws cut across Education, Lands, the Media, relationships with Indians, and employment just to mention a few.
In this post, I have provided a list of all Apartheid laws in chronological order.
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Complete List of All Apartheid Laws and Acts 1948 to 1994
- Masters and Servants Acts of 1856
- Mines and Works Act No 12 of 1911
- Repealed by section 20 of the Mines and Works Amendment Act No 27 of 1956
- Black Land Act No 27 of 19 June 1913
- The Native Affairs Act of 1920
- The Durban Land Alienation Ordinance, No 14 of 1922
- The Natal Provincial Council passes three ordinances of 1922:
- The Rural Dealers’ Licensing Ordinance – limited the right of appeal.
- The Townships Franchise Ordinance – Indians lose municipal franchise.
- The Durban Land Alienation Ordinance – gives the Durban Town Council the right to restrict ownership and occupation of land of any race group.
- The Class Areas Bill of 1923
- The Natives (Urban Areas) Act No 21 of 1923
- Boroughs Ordinance No 189 of 1924
- The Industrial Conciliation Act No 11 of 1924
- The Township Franchise Ordinance of 1924
- The Rural Dealers Ordinance of 1924
- The Transvaal Dealers (Control) Ordinance No 11 of 1925
- The Minimum Wages Act of 1925
- The Class Areas Bill of 1925
- The Areas Reservation and Immigration and Registration (Further Provision) Bill 1925
- The Mines and Works Act (Colour Bar Act) No 25 of 1926.
- Working Life Factories, Township and Popular Culture 1886 – 1940 by Luli Callinicos
- The Liquor Bill of 1926
- The Local Government (Provincial Powers) Act of 1926
- The Immigration and Indian Relief (Further Provision) Bill of 1927
- The Asiatics in the Northern Districts of Natal Act of 1927
- The Liquor Act of 1927
- The Women’s Franchise Bill of 1927
- The Riotous Assembly Act of 1927
- The Immigration and Indian Relief (Further) Provision: Act no 37 of 1927
- The Nationality and Flag Act of 1927
- The Old Age Pension Act of 1927
- The Liquor Act of 1927
- The Black Administration Act No 38 of 1927
- The Liquor Bill Section 104 of the Liquor Bill of 1928
- The Transvaal Asiatic Land Tenure of 1930
- The Industrial Conciliation Act of 1930
- The Wage Amendment Act of 1930
- The Women’s Enfranchisement Act of 1930
- The Riotous Assemblies (Amendment) Act No 19 of 1930
- The Asiatic Immigration Amendment Act of 1931
- The Native Service Contracts Act of 1932
- The Transvaal Asiatic Land Tenure (Amendment) Act No 35 of 1932
- The Slums Act: Demolition of Slums of 1934
- The Rural Dealers Licensing Ordinance Natal of 1935
- Representation of Blacks Act No 12 of 1936
- The Representation of Natives Act No 16 of 1936
- The Development Trust and Land Act No 18 1936
- The Aliens Registration Act No 26 of 1936
- The Asiatic Land Tenure Amendment Act No 30 of 1936
- The Native Trust and Land Act of 1936
- The Development Trust and Land Act No 18 of 1936
- The Aliens Act No 1 of 1937
- The Industrial Conciliation Act No 36 of 1937
- The Black (Native) Laws Amendment Act No 46 of 1937
- The Marketing and Unbeneficial Land Occupation Act No 26 of 1937
- The Native Administration Amendment Act No 9 of 1937
- The Industrial Conciliation Act No 36 of 1937
- This Act introduces the colour bar in trade unions.
- The Transvaal Asiatic Land Tenure (Further Amendment) Act of 1937
- The Mixed Marriages Bill of 1937
- The Provincial Legislative Powers Extension Bill of 1937
- The Transvaal Asiatic Land Bill of 1937
- The Marketing and Unbeneficial Land Occupation Act of 1937
- The Asiatics (Transvaal Land and Trading) Bill of 1938
- The Pegging Act of 1943
- The Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation/Ghetto Act of 1946
- The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, Act No 55 of 1949
- Factories, Machinery and Building Works Act of 1941
- Electoral Laws Amendment Act of 1940
- Pensions Laws Amendment Act 1944
- Industrial Conciliation (Natives) Bill 1947
- Immorality Amendment Act, Act No 21 of 1950
- Suppression of Communism Act, Act No 44 of 1950
- The Group Areas Act, Act No 41 of 1950
- The Population Registration Act, Act No 30 of 1950
- The Bantu Authorities Act, Act No 68 of 1951
- Bantu/Native Building Workers Act, Act No 27 of 1951
- Separate Representation of Voters Act, Act No 46 of 1951
- Prevention of Illegal Squatting Act, Act No 52 of 1951
- Natives Laws Amendment Act of 1952
- Natives (Abolition of Passes and Coordination of Documents) Act, Act No 67 of 1952
- Natives Labour (Settlement of Disputes) Act of 1953
- Public Safety Act of 1953
- The Criminal Law Amendment Act, Act No 8 of 1953
- Bantu Education Act, Act No 47 of 1953
- Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, Act No 49 of 1953
- Natives Resettlement Act, Act No 19 of 1954
- Riotous Assemblies and Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, Act No 15 of 1954
- Criminal Procedure Act, Act No 56 of 1955
- Black Labour (Settlement of Disputes) Amendment Act, Act No 59 of 1955
- Natives (Prohibition of Interdicts) Act, Act No 64 of 1956
- The Industrial Conciliation Amendment Act of 1956
- South Africa Act Amendment Act, Act No 9 of 1956
- Riotous Assemblies Act, Act No 17 of 1956
- The Natives Taxation and Development Act, Act No 38 of 1958
- Bantu Investment Corporation Act, Act No 34 of 1959
- The Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act of 1959
- Proclamation No 400 and Proclamation No 413
- Extension of University Education Amendment Act No 32 of 1960
- Unlawful Organisations Act No 34 of 1960
- Urban Blacks Council Act No 79 of 1961
- General Law Amendment Act No 39 of 1961
- The 1956 Riotous Assemblies Act.
- Indemnity Act No 61 of 1961
- General Law Amendment Act (Sabotage Act) No 76 of 1962
- Terrorism Act No 83 of 1962
- General Law Amendment Act No 37 of 1963
- Transkei Constitution Act No 48 of 1963
- Extension of University Education Amendment Act No 67 of 1963
- General Law Amendment Act No 80 of 1964
- Transkei Authorities Act No 6 of 1964
- Black Labour Act No 67 of 1965
- Education Act No 2 of 1965
- Criminal Procedure Amendment Act No 96 (180-Day Detention Law) of 1965
- Transkeian Authorities Amendment Act No 7 of 1966
- Group Areas Act No 36 of 1966
- Industrial Conciliation Further Amendment Act No 61 of 1966
- General Law Amendment Act No 62 of 1966
- Education Act No 9 of 1967
- Transkeian Police Act No 5 of 1967
- Environmental Planning Act No 88 of 1967
- Suppression of Communism Act No 24 of 1967
- Labour Laws Amendment Act No 4 of 1967
- Separate Representation of Voters Amendment Act No 50 of 1968
- Prohibition of Political Interference Act No 51 of 1968
- South African Indian Council Act No 31 of 1968
- Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act No 21 of 1968
- Dangerous Weapons Act No 71 of 1968
- Public Service Amendment Act No 86 of 1969
- Bantu Homelands Citizens Act of 1970
- Act 21 of 1971 Self-governing Territories Constitution Act, 1971
- Act 31 of 1971 Transkei Constitution Amendment Act, 1971
- Act 61 of 1975 Transkei Constitution Amendment Act, 1975
- Act 3 of 1976 Transkei Constitution Amendment Act, 1976
- Act 65 of 1976 Financial Relations Act, 1976
- Act 100 of 1976 Status of Transkei Act, 1976
- Act 30 of 1977 Constitution Amendment Act, 1977
- Act 31 of 1977 Financial Relations Amendment Act, 1977
- Act 89 of 1977 Status of Bophuthatswana Act, 1977
- Act 8 of 1978 Bophuthatswana Border Extension Act, 1978
- Act 13 of 1978 National States Citizenship Amendment Act, 1978
- Act 36 of 1978 Alteration of Provincial Boundaries Act, 1978
- Act 107 of 1979 Status of Venda Act, 1979
- Act 47 of 1970 Wine and Spirit Control Act, 1970
- Act 70 of 1970 Subdivision of Agricultural Land Act, 1970
- Act 25 of 1977 Livestock Improvement Act, 1977
- Act 87 of 1979 Designated Areas Development Act, 1979
- Pre-Union Statute Law Revision Act, 1970 (Act 42 of 1970)
- South African Law Reform Commission Act, 1973 (Act 19 of 1973),
- Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973).
- General Law Amendment Act, 1973 (Act 62 of 1973)
- Prescribed Rate of Interest Act, 1975 (Act 55 of 1975)
- Petition Proceedings Replacement Act, 1976 (Act 35 of 1976)
- Pre-Union Statute Law Revision Act, 1976 (Act 36 of 1976)
- Abolition of Civil Imprisonment Act, 1977 (Act 2 of 1977)
- Indemnity Act, 1977 (Act 13 of 1977),
- Prohibition of the Exhibition of Films on Sundays and Public Holidays Act, 1977 (Act 16 of 1977),
- Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Act, 1977 (Act 40 of 1977)
- Pre-Union Statute Law Revision Act, 1977 (Act 43 of 1977)
- Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act 51 of 1977)
- Dissolution of Marriages on Presumption of Death Act, 1979 (Act 23 of 1979)
- Attorneys Act, 1979 (Act 53 of 1979),
- Divorce Act, 1979 (Act 70 of 1979)
- Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act (National States Citizenship Act) No 26 of 1970
- Bantu Homelands Constitution Act (National States Constitutional Act) No 21: 31 March 1971
- Extension of University Education Amendment Act No 29: 12 May 1971
- Black Affairs Administration Act No 45: 26 November 1971
- Bantu Homelands Citizens Act of 1970
- Marriage Act No 4 of 1973
- Suppression of Communism Amendment Act No 2 of 1972
- Admission of Persons to the Republic Regulation Act No 59 of 1972
- Security Intelligence and State Security Council Act No 64 of 1972
- Aliens Control Act No 40 of 1973
- Black Labour Relations Regulation Amendment Act 70 of 1973
- Black Laws Amendment Act No 7 of 1973
- Legal Aid Act No 2 of 1973
- Prisons Act No 6 of 1974 Set out prison services in Transkei. Commenced: 1 August 1975
- Riotous Assemblies Amendment Act No 30 of 1974
- Affected Organisations Act No 31 of 1974
- Second General Law Amendment Act No 94 of 1974
- Proclamation No 86 of 1975
- Name of Act of 1976
- Bantu Administration Amendment Act No 2 of 1976
- Population Registration Act No 24 of 1976
- Citizenship of Transkei Act No 26 of 1976
- Parliamentary Internal Security Commission Act No 67 of 1976
- Internal Security Amendment Act No 79 of 1976
- Extension of the Application of Transkeian Laws Act No 6 of 1976
- Republic of Transkei Constitution Act No 15 of 1976
- Community Councils Act No 125 of 1977
- Indemnity Act No 2 of 1977
- Criminal Procedure Act No 51 of 1977
- Intelligence Service and State Security Council Act No 16 of 1977
- Military Discipline Act No 23 of 1977
- Aliens and Travellers Control Act No 29 of 1977
- Acquisition of Immovable Property Control Act No 21 of 1977
- Labour Relations Act of 1977
- Labour Act No 14 of 1977
- Wage Act No 15 of 1977
- Public Security Act No 30 of 1977
- Newspaper and Imprint Registration Act No 19 of 1977
- Riotous Assemblies Amendment Act of 1978
- Marriage Act No 21 of 1978
- Publication Act No 18 of 1978
- Undesirable Organisations Act No 9 of 1978
- Blacks (Urban Areas) Amendment Act No 97 of 1978
- Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Irregularities in the Department of Information of 1978-1979
- Education and Training Act No 9 of 1979
- Births and Deaths Registration Act No 20 of 1979
- Commission of Inquiry into Labour Legislation of 1979
- Industrial Conciliation Act, 1956
- Bantu Labour Relations Regulation Act, 1953
- Wage Act, 1957
- Factories, Machinery and Building Work Act, 1941
- Shops and Offices Act, 1964
- Apprenticeship Act, 1944
- Training of Artisans Act, 1951
- Bantu Building Workers Act, 1951
- Electrical Wireman and Contractors’ Act, 1939
- Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1941
- Unemployment Insurance Act, 1966
- Registration for Employment Act, 1945
- Constitution Further Amendment Act No 21 of 1979
- Internal Security Act No 32 of 1979
- State Land Disposal Act No 23 of 1979
- Police Act No 16 of 1979
- Republic of Venda Constitution Act No 9 of 1979
- Industrial Conciliation Amendment Act No 94 of 1979
Conclusion
There you have a comprehensive list of all Apartheid Laws and Acts from 1948 to 1994. Although there might be some other laws not covered here, these are the main laws the we implemented during that period.

Olusegun Iyejare is a career coach and certified counselor. He helps individuals discover and maximize their potential to live satisfying lives regardless of obvious limitations holding them back.