Name _______________________________________ Global History & Geography 2
Directions: Read the following documents and answer the questions that follow in full sentences.
Native Laws Amendment Act, Act No. 54 of 1952, Union of South Africa
. . . 29 (1) Whenever any authorized officer has reason to believe that any native [black South African] within an urban area or an area proclaimed in terms of section twenty-three— (a) is an idle person in that—(i) he is habitually unemployed and has no sufficient honest means of livelihood. . .he [authorized officer] may, without warrant arrest that native or cause him to be arrested and any European police officer or officer appointed under sub-section (1) of section twenty-two may thereupon bring such a native before a native commissioner or magistrate who shall require the native to give a good and satisfactory account of himself. . . .
Source: Native Laws Amendment Act, Act No. 54 of 1952, Digital Innovation South Africa online (adapted
1. Under the Union of South Africa Act No. 54 of 1952, what could happen to a native person
who was habitually unemployed? 
Natives (Abolition of Passes and Coordination of Documents) Act, Act No. 67 of 1952, Union of South Africa
. . . Any policeman may at any time call upon an African [black] who has attained the age of
sixteen years to produce his reference [pass] book. If a reference book has been issued to him but he fails to produce it because it is not in his possession at the time, he commits a criminal offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month…
Source: Leslie Rubin and Neville Rubin, This is Apartheid, Christian Action, London (adapted)
2. Under the Union of South Africa Act No. 67 of 1952, what penalty could be given to a sixteen-year-old or older African black if he failed to produce his reference book?
This excerpt is based on Peter Abrahams’s memories and his conversation with his black South African boss, Jim.
. . . When Jim left ...