Suppression of Communism Act

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Apartheid legislation in South Africa

Precursors
Natives' Land (1913)
Urban Areas (1923)

Prohibition of Mixed Marriages (1949)
Immorality Act† (1950)
Population Registration (1950)
Group Areas Act (1950)
Suppression of Communism (1950)
Bantu Building Workers (1951)
Separate Representation of Voters (1951)
Prevention of Illegal Squatting (1951)
Bantu Authorities (1951)
Natives Laws† (1952)
Pass Laws (1952)
Native Labour (Settlement of Disputes) (1953)
Bantu Education (1953)
Reservation of Separate Amenities (1953)
Natives Resettlement (1954)
Group Areas Development (1955)
Natives (Prohibition of Interdicts) (1956)
Bantu Investment Corporation (1959)
Extension of University Education (1959)
Promotion of Bantu Self-Government (1959)
Coloured Persons Communal Reserves (1961)
Preservation of Coloured Areas (1961)
Urban Bantu Councils (1961)
Terrorism Act (1967)
Bantu Homelands Citizens (1970)

† No new legislation introduced, rather
the existing legislation named was amended.
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The 1950 Suppression of Communism Act was legislation of the National government in South Africa enacted in July of 1950. It purported to ban organizations that supported communism The definition of communism in the wording of the Act was so broad, that anyone seeking to change a law could be considered a communist, especially if it was a law enforcing racial segregation and Apartheid. Most of the Act was repealed in 1982[1] and in 1991, with the last provisions of it repealed in 1993.

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The "Suppression of Communism Act" was in large part due to the believed anti-apartheid communist involvement. The act facilitated the government take down of organizations such as the ANC that advocated for black rights. The Suppression of Communism Act forced these groups to go underground with their activism. Ironically, because of this act, groups such as Umkhonto we Sizwe, lead by Nelson Mendela as a branch of the ANC, did seek support from the Communist party for financial aid.

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