In 1948, the National Party came to power in South Africa, introducing the policy of apartheid, which institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination. Cape Town, like the rest of South Africa, was deeply affected by apartheid, with the city's black population facing significant restrictions on their movement, employment, and access to education and healthcare. The apartheid regime forcibly removed thousands of people from their homes, particularly in the District Six neighborhood, which was declared a "whites-only" area.