South African Party

South African Party
Suid-Afrikaanse Party
Leader (s) Louis Botha,
Jan Smuts,
Barry Hertzog
Founded November 21, 1910 (1910-11-21)
Dissolved December 4, 1934 (1934-12-04)
Merged into United Party
Headquarters Bloemfontein
Ideology Liberal conservatism
White nationalism
Afrikaners' interests
Political position Centre-right
International affiliation None
Colours      Light blue

The South African Party was a political party that existed in the Union of South Africa from 1911 to 1934.

History

The outline and foundation for the party was realized after the election of a 'South African party' in the 1910 South African general election under the leadership of Louis Botha. It was made up predominately of Afrikaner parties:

The South African Party of the Cape Colony was launched by William Schreiner, the former attorney-general under the leadership of Cecil Rhodes. The party was intended to project a more moderate platform than that of the Afrikaner Bond. This party also advocated more peaceful relations with neighboring states, especially the Transvaal. Schreiner originally formed the party to oppose the "personal domination of Mr. Rhodes." Eventually, the Afrikaner Bond would lend their support to form a new government.[1]

Initially its main political opposition came from Unionist Party, which supported similar policies, but was more English-speaking and took an instinctively pro-British stance.

The SAP would solidify after the departure of Barry Hertzog and more radical Boer nationalists who formed the National Party.

Rising discontent with the economic policies of the SAP during the bad economic times of the early 1920s culminated in a general strike in 1922. Though a combination of military intervention and negotiation ended the strike, the memory of it remained when the government, now a SAP-Unionist coalition government under the leadership of Jan Smuts, faced the 1924 South African general election, in which it was defeated by a National-Labour coalition. The SAP remained in opposition with its Unionist allies until the unrest of the Great Depression forced Prime Minister Barry Hertzog [2] of the Nationalists to form a coalition government and on 5 December 1934 a merger which created the United South African National Party.

Election results

Election House of Assembly Share of votes Seats Government
1910 1st
67 / 121
 South African Party
1915 2nd 36.67
54 / 130
 South African Party
1920 3rd 36.48
41 / 134
 National Party
1921 4th 48.17
79 / 134
 South African Party
1924 5th 47.05
53 / 135
 National Party
1929 6th 46.51
61 / 148
 National Party
1933 7th 22.34
61 / 150
 National Party

References

  1. ↑ Meredith, Martin (2007). Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4587-1983-6.
  2. ↑ Joyce, Peter. 1989. The South African Family Encyclopaedia
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