Population Registration Act A racial classification certificate of a South African, issued in 1978, that identifies the holder as a white person. Under South Africa's Population Registration Act, people were classified as white, Coloured, native (also called Bantu), or, later, Asian. (more) Population Registration Act South Africa [1950] Written by Amy McKenna Amy McKenna is a senior editor, primarily focused on geography and history matters pertaining to sub-Saharan Africa. She joined Encyclopaedia Britannica in 2004. She was previously employed by Standard... Amy McKenna Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Feb. 20, 2026 •History Population Registration Act, South African law, promulgated in 1950, that provided for the creation of a population register for the country and for the classification of all South Africans as either native (all Black Africans; also called Bantu), Coloured (those of mixed race), or white. A fourth category—Asian (Indian and Pakistani)—was later added. The act was amended multiple times in the following decades before it was repealed in 1991. The Population Registration Act is considered one of...

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