The correct option is (a).
Explanation
Apartheid was a political system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa, enforced by the National Party government from 1948 until the early 1990s. It categorized the population into racial groups (White, Black, Coloured, and Indian) and strictly regulated their rights, movements, and interactions.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: Under laws such as the Group Areas Act of 1950, residential and business areas were segregated by race. Non-whites were prohibited from living in areas designated for white people and required permits to work there.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The non-white population was systematically denied voting rights and representation in the national parliament. Political power was exclusively held by the white minority.
- Statement 3 is Correct: The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act of 1953 legalized the segregation of public premises, vehicles, and services. Trains, buses, beaches, hospitals, and schools were strictly separated, with facilities for non-whites being consistently inferior.
- Statement 4 is Incorrect: While the state imposed Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools (which triggered the Soweto Uprising in 1976), there was no legislation banning the speaking of local African languages in private homes or personal spaces. The restrictions were focused on public life, education, and administration.
Key Takeaway:
Apartheid was defined by the denial of political rights, strict physical segregation in housing and public amenities, and restrictions on movement, but it did not extend to banning native languages in the private sphere.