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Vanilla: An Immoral Love
The Immorality Act
Apartheid legislation in South Africa included the Immorality Act which prohibited, amongst other things, sexual relations between white people and people of other race groups. The first Immorality Act of 1927, prohibited sex between whites and blacks. It was amended in 1950 to prohibit sex between whites and all non-whites. The second Immorality Act of 1957, continued this prohibition and dealt with many other “sex offences”. The ban on interracial sex was lifted in 1985, but whilst the Immorality Act was in force, many “offenders” committed suicide or were expelled from communities, their lives destroyed. Many South Africans of different races found love across the colour bar, but if they were caught or were informed on by “friendly” neighbours, they were jailed. Afrikanerdom followed the delusional Aryan belief of a pure nation, and were determined to get as close to that ideal as possible, even if it cost innocent lives. Exactly how shameful it was to be found guilty under the Act was demonstrated in a case in the small Eastern Cape town of Barkly East where the dominee (priest) of the local Dutch Reformed Church was convicted of having had intercourse with his black female servant. The man was hounded out of town in disgrace, and his scandalised flock of parishioners went so far as to bulldoze the pastorie (rectory) in an effort to wipe the stain of sin from the face of Barkly East. In late 1970, a Johannesburg newspaper, The Sunday Times, broke the story of five elite white men who had “crossed the colour line” with 14 black women in the small, ultra-conservative Orange Free State Town of Excelsior. The newspaper reported on the scandal with delight, relishing the embarrassment it caused the Afrikaner Nationalist government of the time, and saying the withdrawal of charges against the men was due to intense pressure put on them by the government’s own supporters and was an admission by the government that the Immorality Act was unenforceable. The story made headlines around the world and, under scrutiny from the international community, the highly embarrassed government did not have the courage to enforce the Act in this case.
The Excelsior case exposed the apartheid policy’s hypocrisy, said The Sunday Times. Indeed, with racial segregation as the very foundation of the Nationalist government’s apartheid policy, sex across the colour line was regarded as the most abhorrent and repulsive of all crimes. Yet behind the backs of their wives and families, government supporters — many of them party and community leaders — were cavorting with black women.
Vanilla is the story of a white boy and a coloured girl who found genuine love for one another in a country where the ruling Afrikaner party brutally enforced racial segregation and discrimination, aided by a ruthless police force which used this piece of legislation for their own ends.
James and Vanilla knew of the law, but not of its evil …
Apartheid legislation in South Africa included the Immorality Act which prohibited, amongst other things, sexual relations between white people and people of other race groups. The first Immorality Act of 1927, prohibited sex between whites and blacks. It was amended in 1950 to prohibit sex between whites and all non-whites. The second Immorality Act of 1957, continued this prohibition and dealt with many other “sex offences”. The ban on interracial sex was lifted in 1985, but whilst the Immorality Act was in force, many “offenders” committed suicide or were expelled from communities, their lives destroyed. Many South Africans of different races found love across the colour bar, but if they were caught or were informed on by “friendly” neighbours, they were jailed. Afrikanerdom followed the delusional Aryan belief of a pure nation, and were determined to get as close to that ideal as possible, even if it cost innocent lives. Exactly how shameful it was to be found guilty under the Act was demonstrated in a case in the small Eastern Cape town of Barkly East where the dominee (priest) of the local Dutch Reformed Church was convicted of having had intercourse with his black female servant. The man was hounded out of town in disgrace, and his scandalised flock of parishioners went so far as to bulldoze the pastorie (rectory) in an effort to wipe the stain of sin from the face of Barkly East. In late 1970, a Johannesburg newspaper, The Sunday Times, broke the story of five elite white men who had “crossed the colour line” with 14 black women in the small, ultra-conservative Orange Free State Town of Excelsior. The newspaper reported on the scandal with delight, relishing the embarrassment it caused the Afrikaner Nationalist government of the time, and saying the withdrawal of charges against the men was due to intense pressure put on them by the government’s own supporters and was an admission by the government that the Immorality Act was unenforceable. The story made headlines around the world and, under scrutiny from the international community, the highly embarrassed government did not have the courage to enforce the Act in this case.
The Excelsior case exposed the apartheid policy’s hypocrisy, said The Sunday Times. Indeed, with racial segregation as the very foundation of the Nationalist government’s apartheid policy, sex across the colour line was regarded as the most abhorrent and repulsive of all crimes. Yet behind the backs of their wives and families, government supporters — many of them party and community leaders — were cavorting with black women.
Vanilla is the story of a white boy and a coloured girl who found genuine love for one another in a country where the ruling Afrikaner party brutally enforced racial segregation and discrimination, aided by a ruthless police force which used this piece of legislation for their own ends.
James and Vanilla knew of the law, but not of its evil …
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2024
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May 4, 2024
Realistic story on the sadness of apartheid rules.
Easy to read and realistically sad to read about the apartheid days in South Africa.
Army life was hectic and almost savage.
Easy to read and realistically sad to read about the apartheid days in South Africa.
Army life was hectic and almost savage.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review