OFFICIAL APARTHEID SIGN (APARTHEID.)

Slegs Blankes. Privaat Private. Whites Only. Painted Sign on a bakelite board, with black lettering on a white background, 12x18 inches; some surface discoloration and age crackling. [Johannesburg: South African Railroad], circa 1948 Rare official national apartheid sign used in public places by the South African Railroad. Under apartheid in South Africa, there existed but two classes on the railways: First Class and Third Class. No Second Class existed on suburban trains. First Class was obviously for whites only. Third Class was for all "Coloured" races, which included Chinese and Indians. The arrangement of the cars on the train was odd, with Third Class behind the engine and First Class at the end of the train. The arrangement led to some strange situations. When the train from Johannesburg approached Cape Town the train was stopped and the First Class cars were moved to the front of the train so that the white pasengers could depart first.