Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa that lasted from 1948 to the early 1990s. Under this policy, the white minority population enforced laws that separated people based on their race, limiting the rights of the Black majority and other racial groups. This meant that non-white South Africans faced restrictions in areas like education, healthcare, and where they could live and work. The struggle against Apartheid was led by figures like Nelson Mandela, who fought for equality and justice. After years of resistance and international pressure, Apartheid officially ended in 1994, leading to the first democratic elections in which all South Africans could vote.