Final answer:
During apartheid in South Africa (1948-1994), only white South Africans (D) had the right to vote and hold political power. Black South Africans (A), Indian South Africans, and Colored South Africans (C) were disenfranchised and faced broad discrimination under the system of racial segregation. The apartheid regime ended with the election of Nelson Mandela as president in 1994.
Step-by-step explanation:
From 1948 to 1994, the official policy in South Africa, known as apartheid, allocated all political power to white people. The apartheid system ensured that even though the majority of the population were black, they, along with other non-whites, could not influence government policy or elect representatives. Only white South Africans (D) had the privilege to elect representatives and hold political power. Non-white South Africans—black South Africans (A), Indian South Africans, and Colored South Africans (C)—were systematically disenfranchised, and they faced severe discrimination in all aspects of life.
Apartheid was a strict system of racial segregation that denied black South Africans and other ethnic groups civil liberties and rights, dramatically limiting their participation in the country's governance. This included restrictions on land ownership, freedom of movement, the right to live in certain areas, and even the ability to protest against the oppressive regime. Racial classifications divided South Africans into distinct groups, and legislation like the passbook system regulated non-white labor, keeping these groups suppressed and economically disadvantaged.
Eventually, widespread opposition to apartheid both domestically and internationally led to the system's dismantling in the early 1990s. On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first black president, marking the end of apartheid and the beginning of a new era of democracy in South Africa.