Over the years, I've known my share of white South Africans. These are people who lived there during Apartheid. When you talk to them, their understanding of Apartheid is pretty garbage.
When you read about Apartheid South Africa, or watch films depicting those times, it really does not reflect how bad things actually were.
To even get a glimpse into how much worse things are than your current understanding, you need to read and listen to accounts of survivors.