Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, 1949
South Africa apartheid law / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, Act No. 55 of 1949, was an apartheid-era law in South Africa that prohibited marriages between "whites" and "non-whites". It was among the first pieces of apartheid legislation to be passed following the National Party's rise to power in 1948. Subsequent legislation, especially the Population Registration and Immorality Acts of 1950, facilitated its implementation by requiring all individuals living in South Africa to register as a member of one of four officially defined racial groups and prohibiting extramarital sexual relationships between those classified as "white" on the one hand and those classified as "non-White" (Blacks, Coloureds, later also Asians) on the other. It did not criminalize sexual relationships between those classified as "non-Europeans".
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, 1948 | |
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Parliament of South Africa | |
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Citation | Act No. 55 of 1949 |
Enacted by | Parliament of South Africa |
Assented to by | Governor-General Gideon Brand van Zyl |
Royal assent | 1 July 1949 |
Commenced | 8 July 1949 |
Repealed | 19 June 1985 |
Amended by | |
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, 1968 | |
Repealed by | |
Immorality and Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, 1985 | |
Related legislation | |
Immorality Act | |
Status: Repealed |