Public places of recreation for whites only, are proclaimed

Public places of recreation in white areas were proclaimed in accordance with provisions of the Group Areas Act of 1950. Following the proclamation, blacks were prohibited from entering these public places of recreation. The proclamation also listed sporting events, theatres and concerts in white areas from which blacks were barred.

This proclamation was made 15 years after the Group Areas Act was first introduced. According to this act, urban areas were to be divided into racially segregated zones where members of one specific race alone could live and work. Group areas were created for the exclusive ownership and occupation of a designated group. It further became a criminal offence for a member of one racial group to reside on or own land in an area set aside by proclamation for another race.

For the first time, it at least potentially extended compulsory general segregation to ‘Coloureds’; centralised control over racial segregation, effectively undermining municipal autonomy; laid the basis for long-range, wide-scale land allocation planning; opened the way to greatly expanded (though of course strictly segregated) public housing provision especially for the poorer sections of the urban population; provided for retroactive segregation; and massively interfered with concepts of property rights generally.