Apartheid, which literally means "apartness," represented the codification of all the laws and regulations that politically, economically, and socially oppressed the majority population, (largely Africans but including Coloreds and Asians). Beginning with the 1913 Land Act, apartheid consolidated and made systematic the segregation of the races. In the 1960s, apartheid took on the guise of separate development. Instead of claims about biological or genetic differences, arguments for racial separation after this time were based on cultural or ethnic differences and the rights of different groups to maintain their identities.

“Blacks,” “majority population,” and “historically disadvantaged” are used to refer collectively to South Africans of African, Colored (mixed), or Asian (Indian) descent.

SOUTH AFRICA POPULATION

In April 1994, South Africa entered a new stage of non-racial and non-sexist democracy with the election of Nelson Mandela as President. The newly-elected government inherited a structure developed to promote and defend the social and economic system of apartheid. As a result, many of the inherited apartheid policies and practices, if left unchanged, can jeopardize the capacity of the government to succeed in the social and economic transformation of the country.

Therefore, overseas development assistance is important in assisting government initiatives which will help transform South Africa. USAID has contributed, on average, $343 million from 1994 through 2004.

TABLE 1: POPULATION GROUPS (1991)

Population Group	Life Expectancy at birth (years)	Adult literacy rate (%)	Gross Geographic Product per capita(PPP$)*
Total	62.77	82.16	3.885
Africans	60.30	76.64	1.665
Whites	73.11	99.52	16.772
Coloreds	66.46	91.06	3.020
Asians	68.89	82.16	3.885

Central Statistical Service (CSS) Human Development Index (1995)
*Gross Geographic Product is the total value of the goods and services produced in a geographic area.
Purchase Power Parity (PPP) adjusts official exchange rates to reflect domestic purchasing power.