THE HATED 'DOMPAS' (DEELFONTEIN)

96pp.

One of Apartheid Era's most hated Items', a 'pass book' or 'Dompas' as it was commonly known during the Apardheid Era.

This is a 'pass book' that belonged to a Xhosa man who had 'permission' to work on the well known Boer War Era - British imperial Yeomanry stronghold/hospital farm, 'Deelfontein'. The 'Dompas'-'Work Employment Oficer's' rubber-stamp in his pass-book was stamped, dated and signed by the Richmond C.P. District Council on 26/7/1967. The pass-book also icludes a 'permanent residence' stamp from De Aar Municipality, and another stamp by the Richmond Magistrate's office permitting him to proceed to Johannesburg on 20/4/71. A Union Tax stamp dated 19/2/1957 by Native Affairs appears towards the rear of the pass-book, as well as a number of 'General Tax' paste-downs with the Richmond Receiver of Revenue rubber stamp endorsements.

Following Nelson Mandela's example of burning of his own 'Dompas' on March 28, 1960, in protest to the atrocities at Sharpeville, many millions of the infamous 'Dompas' were destroyed in similar fashion, both during the apartheid era in protest to the ongoing atrocities, and also post apardheid in celebration of a new and Free South Africa. As a result, but few remain in existance today.

The Natives (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act, 1952, commonly known as the Pass Laws Act, made it compulsory for all black South Africans over the age of 16 to carry a 'pass book' at all times within white areas. The law stipulated where, when, and for how long a person could remain. This pass was also known as a 'Dompas'. The document was similar to an internal passport, containing details on the bearer such as their fingerprints, photograph, the name of his/her employer, his/her address, how long the bearer had been employed, as well as other identification information. Employers often entered a behavioural evaluation, on the conduct of the pass holder. An employer was defined under the law and could be only a white person. The pass also documented permission requested and denied or granted to be in a certain region and the reason for seeking such permission. Under the terms of the law, any governmental employee could strike out such entries, basically canceling the permission to remain in the area. A pass book without a valid entry then allowed officials to arrest and imprison the bearer of the pass. These passes often became the most despised symbols of apartheid. The resistance to the Pass Law led to many thousands of arrests and was the spark that ignited the Sharpeville Massacre on 21 March 1960, and led to the arrest of Robert Sobukwe on that same date.

Well used with usual grubby handling marks throughout, and curled edges towards the rear. Rear cover and last blank page are part missing.