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11/16/1961 - The Republic’s First General Election by James C. Brewer

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS JCB The Republic First General Election November Bay View Avenue Tamboer Kloof Cape Town South Africa Richard Nolte Institute Current World Affairs adison Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Nolte The Government estab lished Republic Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd there still great safely There danger ahead It necessary those people opposing Government least years nothing shake elected Government country August Dr Verwoerd announced anticipated election would month General elections South Africa usually every years THE Prime Minister However election called early before there seems This election called years before resent Government would normally ended Former Justice H A Fagan Leader newly National Union Party NUP objected early election Prime linister pessimistic interpretation future He newspaoer Otosition speaker painted sombre picture dangled before public PrO Yinister himself He spectre active rebellion aktiewe opstand sbestuur Matters would indeed become worse agreed leaders other Opposition parties unless Government apartheid policy changed They believed election called early because years things would become worse Nationalists could possibly returned power As expected Nationalist Party Nats victory The Opposition conceded election before called Although political often candi dates constituencies Where there little chance winning general election major Opposition party The United Party UP contested seats In election UP Nationalist seats uncontested When votes might uncontested seats added total gives Nats first general election majority Th Ca Argus The Cape Times Opposition newspapers stimated major respectively average these figures about major which Nationalists their Republic Refer endum However compared general election results Nats increase approximately voters Due disproportionately large number rural seats compared number representing urban areas N ational Party voting percentage European seats Parliament House Assembly Although Nationalist newspapers evidenced surprise their party increased voting strength major surprise suprort given Progressive Party Progs This political organization formed years eleven members Parliament resigned UP polled roughly votes seats contested Of Europeans polls across Republic about voted Progressive Almost voters Johannesburg supported Progressive Party candidates This surprising showing party political observers lieved would wiped While contest seven candidates amazingly close matter hundred votes would given victory hundred Election results Parliament membe representing Nationalists members representing UP members members representing Coloured voters While NIS challenge UP candidates seats UP contests other candidates these There seats considered Coloured They occupied Europeans elected separately Cape Province Coloured voters Coloured people other three provinces South West Africa Africans throt ghout Republic In election Coloured seats UP The Liberal Party Progressive Party contet seats protest against separate Coloured Voters Roll member representing Progressives No members representing Africans Tony Delius Ca Times editorial writer worked these statistics The Nationalist members represent conservative element amongst Nationalists United Party members represent conservative element UP In Parliament there Afrikaans speaking members English speaking In election surprising total debate3 national parties fielded canditateso On political spectrum Liberal Party becoming extra parliamentary organization contested seats The candidates badly feated wanted opportunity forward Liberal Party policy necessity political economic rights regardless The Party multi racial membership backed extent Africans handicapped polls since members Since members governmental change coming through controlled strikes boycotts continued outside pressure doubt future turbulant Already members banned Government under Suppression Communism Act attending meetings years Its Leader noted author Alan Paton passport withheld prevent travelling outside country The Progressive Party while accepting principle integrated multi racial society believes qualified voting chise based education Dr Zac Beer Chairman Party National Executive Committee succinctly stated party policy A Political program based qualified franchise protective constitution giving Black assurance would prevent attaining power merit White assurance would subjected uncivilized people sections assurance constitution would stand above Parliament protectors their rights Progressives generally young Afrikaans English speaking women believe Dr Z Beer found reasonable middle During campaign opposing candidates platform radio carried political speeches capsule summaries regular broadcasts There television JCB The party supuort former Parlia member m11_onare Harry Oppenheimer Chairman Anglo Amercan Corporation backing uropean educational political leaders Nationalists since election frankly admit Progressives their future Opposition On subject Progressives course totally agree The choice clear Dr Jan Steytler Leader Progressives It between Nationalist Party Progressive Party So called centre parties UP NUP function perform South Africa It lkely Dr Steytler voters become dissatisfied Nationalists their switch party which conservative which present clear policy The Progressives already gained people quite different backgrounds On election Dr Louis Plessis Professor Law Politics University Potchefstroom former Chairman Nationalist Broederbond Afrikaner Volkskas Board Nationalist newspaper Dagbreek announced support policies Progs A after Jack Steyn former Nat founder National Union Party announced joined Progressives Just after received Nobel Peace Prize chief Luthuli President banned African National Congress among other things thought support given Progressive Party encouraging Its voice continued small To country I believe strength uickly The political horizon charged racialism suspicion commented Dr W F Nkomo giving African election Bantu World And while exercise right estless fearful future mllions voteless Africans watching ation calmly Africans difference between National Party United Party advocate baaskap another The seems whatever support Progressive Party muster Progs realize cannot votes Nationalists They their party rising medately majority status Their object before South Africans reasonable alternative apartheid looking toward people disillusionment abandon present Government JCB The Progressives strength future How grows depend racial developments inside South Africa ability leaders message across public The National Unon Party founded Mr P Basson hghly critical Government domination language party4 inflexib policies merged UP sharing called middle policy The election results showed little future infant party although allied political timer It received total given UP The Europeans hoped Afrikaner party would Nationalist leaven appointed There little change Nationalist policy anything seems firmly before And there little attraction satisfied Nats Hon H A Fagan NUP Whle former Nationalist Hon H A Pagan NUP Leader wdely respected respect enough cause measure movement voters party Many Af rikaners approve their joining nglsh Afrikaans Government force This explain meetings enllved presence Nats booed jeered occasionally broke volence As NUP itself little grass roots voter organizational support without there future Although United Party polled szeable future doubt Xhe percentage support decreased three elections successive general elections In addition stand against South African Republic defeated Referendum The UP caught shift political Previously political waged forth Afrikaans English differences The Nationalist Party appealing exclusively Afrlkanerdom UP stand party nglish though UP Afrikaans ngllsh speaking members This picture UP strengthened fought against Afrikaner dream Republic TWO weeks after election Dr Verwoerd tried overcome criticism appointing nglish speaking members Cabinet Mr A Trollp Administrator Natal became Mnster Immigration Labour F W Waring sucessf Independent candidate became hinister Information Both course joined Natonals Party agreement polces reaining British Commonwealth It tried counter English image joining NUP adopting policy which would appeal conservative English Afrikaans voter In doino support lberal members withdrew Progressive Party In election Nationalist Party Afrikaner behind shifted appealing total White electorate Party White Man Again UP defensi It caught between extremes Either prove White labled Black Since appeal electorate announced racial policy which closely resembled NatSo The United Party NUP Nationalists accept principle supremacy differentiation opposed integration proposed Liberal Progressive Parties However UP NUP would substitute federation apartheid flexibility granite rigidity In UP federation central government would charge matters common concern would leave constituent element right govern itself matters immediately concerning itself Raat writes UP spokesmn federation based purely geographical units constituent elements races making population South Africa In contrast apartheid Sir ViilUrs Graa entual would completely independent racial states without central governmento Apartheid contends Sir Villiers Graaff Leader UP places which pover attack unscrupulous powers Bantustan states From hearing Graaff outline policy during early campaign I close policy Government before Nats eaera apartheid satirized earlier columnist East London Daily Dispatch In Gilbert Sullivan fashion choruses following qNhcn black rules black white rules white Then everything aright The still separate But federateo No matter choose their Its nothing Opposition Bantustan TM B antustan separate racial areas developed power In effect return As campaign became evident major dfference between Nats UP method aplcaton Often seemed UP spending enery fighting Progressives Nats supposedly their worst enemy Obviously election returns difference between major parties enough Afrikaner switch parties But there difference enough rnciple UP members Nats Progressives Nationalists Nationalist press seemed agreement about UPs future Die Burer nstance election editorial thought danger Left United Party proved greater expected smakes United Party traditional dilemma whether Left Right acute It seems doomed either apart deeper imtence The Nationalist Party Prime Minist Verwoerd stood strongly unhesitatingly White civilization The preserve according Nat policy strict polic separation This means creation state within South Africa White guverment giving leadership states until economically politically themselves Dr Verwoerd reiterated essential Bantu concerned start ribal system which gradually Western concepts democratic government The peoples Africa cannot transplanted suddenly Western society United Party policy Nats contend would eventual integration result would Black domination The Progressives Liberals policies which could would destroy White standards faster The success National Party polls I forseeno The majority voters Afrikaans homes number these voters increased passage teenage lectoral Laws Dr Beer United States recipient State Department Leader Grant again summed party views saying Political expediency reward The UP feebly flapping about between Progressives Nationalists doomed It ground between upper nether millstone The electorate United Party Lord Ladoiceans Book Revelations Because lukewarm neither I mouth JCB Amendment Act after election This lowered voting enabling Afrikaans young people become voters three years Previously strength Nationalist Party Afrikaners living rural platteland areas One effects lowered voting steady migration younger South Africans farms industrial centers extention Nationalist political power beyond rural seats several urban areas Dr Verwoerd mentioned greatest Nationals gains obtained constituencies where young people played mportant fought electon South Africa habitable youth The question whether going White country whether gGiDg country Kenya where White buried years The decision electorate unequivocal The UN motion censure South Africa Mnister Foreign Affairs Mr Eric Louw speech explaining Government polcy adopted before electon In light action Natonalst polls nterpreed Louw numerous poltcel comentators reaction UN censure election results Mr Louw clear ndcaton people South Africa about integration The electon voting Europeans believe separation apartheid federation I found evidence UN censure influenced election results I anyone changed afilation because UN incident Those voters upset already Nats Nor voters charge polls reaction demonstrate White South Arica overwhelmin support ntegraton A smaller percentage people voted election recent In contested registered voters polls compared instance Many Nationalist newspapers endorsement Government apartheid Indeed strong measures taken rtheid relocate people their respective group areas build homes schools towns develop industry great money A Commission Socio Economic Development Reserves The Tomlinson Commission which authorized Government thoroughly examine practical application apartheid estimated build African Reserves suffic iently Africans lived South Africa considering population growth economically would million pounds spent period average million dollars This cannot unless taxes heavily ncreased And Government firmly South Africans swallow large increase taxes While Nationalists Government would speed application policy world intentions Prime inister election speech seemed indicate planning speed ahead shall continue build structure future caution White peoDles subjected chaos dictatorship their leaders because their progress guided undue haste popularity rather their benefit vantage The progress differentiation during years planned carefully executed cooperation those their peopleo The Government states third proposed Bantustans already planned But Opposition newspapers picture Verwoerd fumbling among prints intention carrying plans virtually impossible accomulish Already Bantustans Transke Dublic demandJ independence demand Paramount Chief considered those their people Ah Ba Homelands making progress I Time running UP members I talked predict election demanded people another three years election their federation plans Rhodes Nyasaland shown South Africa Others liberal outlook Government never allow another election appointment B J Vorster newly appointed linister Justice threatened press censorship during election point evitable dictatorship where opposition tolerated I heard South Africans feeling every thing would themselves speak hopefully third world which would South Africa problems backing Western nations would necessary country their And still others predict internal revolution place before general election either heart Only Sincerely yours james C Brewer Received New York November Pictures through courtesy Time_s_ C Argus_ Cartoon courtesy David Narais Received New York November