apartheid, the system of discrimination and segregation on racial grounds, dominated the ideology and political system in south africa from 1948 to 1994. this system, which intentionally excluded non-afrikaners from civil service jobs, government positions, and politics altogether, came to an end in 1994 when the african national congress headed by nelson mandela conducted negotiations with the south african government at the time. before the abolition of apartheid, civil service was a pervasive medium for rent-seeking and the preferential treatment of afrikaners. policies favoring afrikaner cultural and educational systems, the awarding of government contracts to afrikaner businesses, and the funding of parastatal afrikaner organizations was a common phenomenon during the era of apartheid. the building of rural homeland states in the 1980s created ideal projects for rent-seeking with many homeland leaders presiding over massive patronage networks.