The Population registration Act (Act No 30 of 1950 ) was repealed by the South African parliament. The Act was a pillar of the Apartheid system. It required people to register from birth as belonging to one of four different racial groups, White, Black, Coloured and Indian. The Act was repealed by the Population Registration Act No 114 of 1991.
17 June 1991
The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed

- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019

How we know this
- 01Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds)(1999). Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood.
- 02African History Apartheid Era Laws: Population Registration Act No 30 of 1950 [online] Available at: https://africanhistory.about.com [Accessed on 18 June 2013]
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012966
South African History Online (2011) 'The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012966 (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
South African History Online, The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012966, (accessed 15 October 2026).
"The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012966. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "The Population Registration Act of 1950 is repealed." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012966.
Also on 17 June
- 1959The Cato Manor riots begin due to the ‘beer issue’ and looming forced removals
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- 1976Parliament addresses Soweto Protests
- 1976Police increase their presence in Soweto
- 1990Nelson and Winnie Mandela travel to Canada.
- 1991South African Parliament votes to repeal the legal framework of Apartheid
- 1992The Boipotong massacre takes place
- 1992Scores of people are killed in Boipatong, Vaal
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