during apartheid people in south africa were classified into four main races: black, white, asian (mostly indian) and coloured. under apartheid black people were treated the most badly. coloured people were treated slightly less badly. in south africa, chinese people who lived there during apartheid are classed as black. about 80% of people in south africa are black african. the income of the average white south african household is six times as much as that of the average black south african household.