What was the primary purpose of the Natives Land Act of 1913?

The primary purpose of the Natives Land Act of 1913 was to restrict black land ownership to specific areas. This legislation was a cornerstone of apartheid policy, fundamentally designed to institutionalize racial segregation in land ownership and use. The Act designated certain regions, known as "Bantustans" or "homelands," where black South Africans were allowed to own land while prohibiting them from owning or occupying land outside these designated areas.

By limiting land ownership and establishing separate areas for different racial groups, the Natives Land Act aimed to entrench white dominance in both the economy and the social fabric of South Africa. It effectively disenfranchised black South Africans, reduced their economic opportunities, and reinforced the discriminatory social order that characterized apartheid.

While the Act did have implications for the legal system and land rights, its fundamental objective was to restrict and control where black individuals could live and work, laying the groundwork for further discriminatory legislation that would follow.