The end of apartheid in South Africa was marked by the country's first multiracial elections in April 1994. Apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, had been in place since 1948, enforcing severe disparities between races. The end of apartheid was achieved through a long struggle led by figures like Nelson Mandela, who was released from prison in 1990 after 27 years. The 1994 elections were a significant milestone, leading to Mandela becoming South Africa's first black president and symbolizing the nation's transition to a democratic and inclusive society.