The South African Party (Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse Party, Dutch: Zuidafrikaanse Partij[a]) was a political party that existed in the Union of South Africa from 1911 to 1934.
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 predominantly 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 (more commonly known as the United Party).
From the beginning, an hardliner nationalist faction refused to accept the merger. The remaining nationalists later withdrew from the United Party in 1939, after which what remained was essentially the old SAP under a new name. Nevertheless, the United Party name was retained.
^ abContemporary Dutch spelling used in South Africa from 1905 to 1925. Modern Dutch spelling: Zuid-Afrikaanse Partij
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Party (Union of South Africa).
^Meredith, Martin (2007). Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN978-1-4587-1983-6. from the original on 17 February 2017.
^Joyce, Peter. 1989. The South African Family Encyclopaedia
January 30, 2023
south, african, party, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers. For other uses see South African Party disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources South African Party news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message The South African Party Afrikaans Suid Afrikaanse Party Dutch Zuidafrikaanse Partij a was a political party that existed in the Union of South Africa from 1911 to 1934 South African Party Afrikaans Suid Afrikaanse PartyDutch Zuidafrikaanse Partij a Leader s Louis Botha Jan Smuts Barry HertzogFounded21 November 1910 1910 11 21 Dissolved4 December 1934 1934 12 04 Merger ofHet VolkSouth African PartyAfrikaner BondOrangia UnieMerged intoUnited PartyHeadquartersBloemfonteinIdeologyLiberal conservatismWhite nationalismAfrikaners interestsPolitical positionRight wingInternational affiliationNoneColours Light bluePolitics of South AfricaPolitical partiesElections Contents 1 History 2 Electoral history 2 1 House of Assembly elections 3 Note 4 ReferencesHistory EditThe 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 predominantly of Afrikaner parties Het Volk from the Transvaal Afrikaner Bond and South African Party from the Cape Colony Orangia Unie from the Orange River ColonyThe 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 more commonly known as the United Party From the beginning an hardliner nationalist faction refused to accept the merger The remaining nationalists later withdrew from the United Party in 1939 after which what remained was essentially the old SAP under a new name Nevertheless the United Party name was retained Electoral history EditHouse of Assembly elections Edit Election Party leader Votes Seats Position Result1910 Louis Botha 30 052 28 45 67 121 67 1st Majority government1915 94 285 36 67 54 130 15 1st Majority government1920 Jan Smuts 101 227 36 48 41 134 13 2nd Minority government1921 137 389 49 90 77 134 11 1st Majority government1924 148 769 47 04 53 135 24 2nd Opposition1929 159 896 46 50 61 148 8 2nd Opposition1933 71 486 22 34 61 150 2nd OppositionNote Edit a b Contemporary Dutch spelling used in South Africa from 1905 to 1925 Modern Dutch spelling Zuid Afrikaanse PartijReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Party Union of South Africa 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 Archived from the original on 17 February 2017 Joyce Peter 1989 The South African Family Encyclopaedia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title South African Party amp oldid 1117792776, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
