Special Report Transcript Episode 80, Section 6, Time 40:45

Reference book, pass book, dompas, stinker, different names for the same thing. The hated document that determined the life of every black South African for decades, where they could sleep, live, work, visit and for how long. The main aim of the pass laws was to control the movement of black South Africans to the cities. The idea was to allow just enough black people into the cities to satisfy labour requirements. Anyone wanting to live and work in a city needed a permit; without one it was illegal to stay there for longer than 72 hours.

Notes: Newspaper headlines ‘The African stream ‘is halted’’ 1-4-70, ‘Verwoerd ‘insisted’ on pass law system’ RDM 1-6-73, ‘Black’ 72-hour limit keeps on ticking’ RDM 11-2-80, ‘800 000 domestics will get quit order’

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