, PUB1602
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER PORTFOLIO
DUE DATE: OCTOBER 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 The Native Land Act of 1913
The Native Land Act 27 of 1913 was one of the most significant laws used to dispossess
black South Africans of their land before 1994. The Act restricted African land ownership
and occupation mainly to designated reserves, which initially covered approximately 7% of
South Africa’s land. The Native Trust and Land Act of 1936 later expanded the areas
allocated for African occupation to approximately 13%. These restrictions weakened African
communities’ ability to own productive land, maintain independent livelihoods and achieve
economic stability (PUB1602 Study Guide, historical context of pre-1994 human
settlements).
The consequences were severe, as many African families lost their land through evictions
and were forced to seek employment on white-owned farms, in mines and in urban areas.
The Act strengthened a racially divided landownership system in which white farmers
controlled most agricultural land while African reserves became overcrowded and
underdeveloped. This increased dependence on migrant labour and contributed to poverty,
landlessness and inadequate living conditions among black communities (PUB1602 Study
Guide, historical context of pre-1994 settlement patterns).
The Act also influenced South Africa’s housing trajectory by limiting black South Africans’
access to land near employment opportunities. Although many people moved to cities to
find work, they faced further restrictions on their rights to settle permanently in urban
areas. The resulting overcrowding and lack of suitable land contributed to the development
of poorly serviced settlements and housing shortages. The effects remain visible in present-
day inequalities in landownership and access to affordable housing in well-located areas.
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER PORTFOLIO
DUE DATE: OCTOBER 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 The Native Land Act of 1913
The Native Land Act 27 of 1913 was one of the most significant laws used to dispossess
black South Africans of their land before 1994. The Act restricted African land ownership
and occupation mainly to designated reserves, which initially covered approximately 7% of
South Africa’s land. The Native Trust and Land Act of 1936 later expanded the areas
allocated for African occupation to approximately 13%. These restrictions weakened African
communities’ ability to own productive land, maintain independent livelihoods and achieve
economic stability (PUB1602 Study Guide, historical context of pre-1994 human
settlements).
The consequences were severe, as many African families lost their land through evictions
and were forced to seek employment on white-owned farms, in mines and in urban areas.
The Act strengthened a racially divided landownership system in which white farmers
controlled most agricultural land while African reserves became overcrowded and
underdeveloped. This increased dependence on migrant labour and contributed to poverty,
landlessness and inadequate living conditions among black communities (PUB1602 Study
Guide, historical context of pre-1994 settlement patterns).
The Act also influenced South Africa’s housing trajectory by limiting black South Africans’
access to land near employment opportunities. Although many people moved to cities to
find work, they faced further restrictions on their rights to settle permanently in urban
areas. The resulting overcrowding and lack of suitable land contributed to the development
of poorly serviced settlements and housing shortages. The effects remain visible in present-
day inequalities in landownership and access to affordable housing in well-located areas.
