South Africa, April 15, 1953

Introduction

The United Party (UP) has ruled South Africa since its victory in the 1948 general election but it has faced immense challenges since then. To start with, Prime Minister Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr died soon after the election, in December 1948. His death marked the beginning of the instability of the Pieter van der Byl premiership, which began soon after. Van der Byl defended the gradual relaxation of racial laws and the liberation of African peoples - this meant that he suffered from brutal criticism from the National Party (NP) that had been unprecedented up to this point.

D.F. Malan, the main leader of the opposition, harshly criticized van der Byl on a daily basis, and this was only encouraged with the protests and riots of May 1950. In a recorded speech in early April, D.F. Malan said the following:

“The leadership of the Prime Minister has been shameful. Our nation had once been a bastion of law and order but now it finds itself trembling at the mercy of the natives! The white population feels terrified at what is occurring right now. Our citizens expect safety and security and what does the Prime Minister have to say for himself? That we need liberalization. That is exactly what we do not need at this moment. Where is the man’s resolve in protecting our citizens? Where is his strength in upholding what is ours? This is a mockery of leadership and a betrayal of our people.”

From 1950 to 1953, the UP presented four major proposals to Parliament and established three commissions in order to attempt to tackle the issue but none of these proposals had any chance to pass. The first two proposals were based on voluntary measures based on a gradual twenty-year relaxation of housing and passport regulations and labor market regulations. These were shot down almost immediately as the NP stoked the fears of the white population that Africans would soon take over their jobs.

The third proposal, coined as the Strauss Proposal, defended the implementation of a gradual economic redistribution program that would elevate the African population by increasing their purchasing power, stimulating the economy at the same time that it would allow them a larger voice. Strauss also defended voluntary labor integration and a minuscule land reform but the NP wasn’t budging. In fact, every single proposal just increased the fears of the white inhabitants who launched protests and riots, with some incidents regarding sectarian violence, that forced the UP to silently withdraw the proposals.

The Election

The NP launched a comprehensive campaign defending racial segregation and a robust reform to law enforcement that would ensure safety for all white inhabitants in South Africa. D.F. Malan was applauded by an immense portion of the constituency. A series of pamphlets were published depicting attacks on white inhabitants. The fears of lawlessness had been stoked and the fire was immense.

The UP on the other hand tried to change its position to be a bit more conservative but, in doing so, alienated its own voters. The Labour Party (LP) can barely be commented upon, as it failed to mobilize most voters following the death of its leader, John Christie.

The results of the election were declared in the late evening of April 15:

Post-Election

“We have stood at a crossroads and we have chosen peace and security,” said D.F. Malan, dressed in a sharp suit, while delivering his address before a sizable assembly outside of the Libertas palace. He spoke with a deliberate pace and punctuated random words with measured gesticulations.

“We have made this choice because South Africa is the land our forebears bequeathed to us. It is a land that we rightfully claim as ours just as it claims our embrace. The beloved nation merits our devoted care, and we, in turn, through this care, merit the blessings that it bestows upon us. Nothing could be closer to the truth than this. The urgency of the present moment impels us to attend to the welfare of our beautiful women and children, to the well-being of our workers, and the interests of our esteemed citizens. That is why you have entrusted your interests to the National Party.” Malan coughed for a couple of seconds and licked his dry lips. He adjusted his dark-rimmed glasses and opened his mouth once again.

“The prospects of a future marked by prosperity is in front of us. We have made this choice. It was a choice seen on the ballots. It was a triumph to the National Party and, in fact, a triumph to us all. This is our collective victory. The entire South African populace benefits from this, doubtlessly. We can scarcely envision a more auspicious future for our nation than the present one.”

The following morning, the government had posted a large list of the Malan Cabinet:

Summary

• D.F. Malan and the National Party have won the 1953 general election in South Africa with a majority.