Final answer:
The apartheid system enforced in South Africa from 1948 till the early 1990s, was dismantled amid domestic resistance and international pressure, leading to the end of legalized racial segregation and the establishment of a free and open legal system in the country.
Step-by-step explanation:
The system of legalized racial stratification and segregation recently brought to an end in South Africa is known as apartheid. This system, which lasted from 1948 until the early 1990s, enforced white supremacy through a comprehensive framework of legal policies. It sought to guarantee the total subjugation of the African majority by means of racial segregation that affected all aspects of life including residence, education, employment, and politics. Apartheid caused significant international outrage, with many countries imposing economic sanctions on South Africa. The struggle against apartheid was marked by persistent domestic resistance and violence, as well as growing international condemnation. Eventually, the white minority government began to dismantle the apartheid system, a process significantly propelled forward by President F. W. De Klerk and figures like Nelson Mandela, who had long fought against this system. Subsequent legislation during apartheid led to the forcible relocation of millions of South Africans into poor regions known as “homelands,” severely limiting their rights and exacerbating socioeconomic divides. The passbook system further controlled and exploited the nonwhite labor force. The lingering effects of apartheid's class division and economic disparities are still felt in South Africa's society today, despite the current legal system being free and open.