The campaign in South Africa against the minority Republic celebrations has emphasised the extent to which the years since the Republic was set up in 1961, have been years of continuing oppression for the black majority. There has been a great increase in the repressive powers of the apartheid regime and in its readiness to use them.
When the Republic was set up, there was already a considerable range of repressive laws. Since then the repressive laws have been strengthened, the armed forces have been increased and their actions against those who protest, organize and mobilize for liberation have intensified.
Throughout the period the oppression of the majority has continued. This is indicated by the number of people forcibly removed, and the even larger number of people arrested and prosecuted under the pass laws.
The information below is, unless otherwise stated, taken from the Annual Surveys of the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR), from official South African statistics in Government Reports or in answers to Parliamentary Questions.
[Tables omitted for brevity]
