A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn

Date: 30 Aug 1983
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The government withdrew its plan to place a limit on the number of black students admitted to white universities, but remained committed to universities that retain their community-directed character. The history of institutional racism in South African universities dates back to the 19th century. It preceded the University Act passed in 1916 by the Union of South Africa government. The 1916 legislation establishedthe South African College which became the University of Cape Town (UCT)and Victoria College, now \Stellenbosch University (USB)in 1918. Both UCT and SU were established for white students. At the same period, the South African Native College, (University of Fort Hare), was established on the site of Fort Hare, a former British military stronghold. The institution was established to cater for non-white students.

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How we know this

01O’Malley P. ‘1983’, from Nelson Mandela Center of Memory and Dialog, [online], available at www.nelsonmandela.org.za(Accessed: 16 July 16, 2012)
02Robus D. and MacleodC.‘White excellence and black failure’: The reproduction of racialised higher education in everyday talk’, fromRhodes University,[online], available at https://eprints.ru.ac.za(Accessed: 16 July 2012)
03South African History Online, ‘1980s’, [online], available at www.sahistory.org.za(Accessed: 16 July 2012)

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, August 23). A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091797

South African History Online (2012) 'A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn', South African History Online, 23 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091797 (Accessed: 27 July 2026).

South African History Online, A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091797, (accessed 27 July 2026).

"A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn." South African History Online, 23 Aug. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091797. Accessed 27 July 2026.

South African History Online. "A plan limiting admission of black students in white universities is withdrawn." South African History Online. August 23, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091797.