Republic of South Africa (1961–1984)

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In the aftermath of the constitutional referendum of 1960, the Republic of South Africa (Afrikaans: Republiek van Suid-Afrika) came into existence on 31 May 1961, marking the country's formal departure from the British Commonwealth and establishing it as a sovereign republic. This period, which lasted until the introduction of a new constitution in 1984, was defined by the consolidation and intensification of apartheid, escalating internal resistance, the development of nuclear weapons, and mounting global condemnation. The Republic's foundation was intrinsically linked to the ideology of the ruling National Party, which had institutionalized apartheid — a comprehensive framework of racial segregation and discrimination — since 1948. The subsequent three decades saw the harsh enforcement of policies that classified all citizens by race, restricted the rights and movements of the non-white majority, and created self-governing homelands for them. This era was characterised by immense internal...

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