1933 South African general election

General elections were held in South Africa on 17 May 1933 to elect the 150 members of the House of Assembly.[1] The National Party won half the seats in the House, but the coalition with the South African Party continued.

1933 South African general election

17 May 1933 (1933-05-17)

All 150 seats in the House of Assembly
76 seats needed for a majority
Turnout33.77% Decrease
  First party Second party
 
JBM Hertzog - SA.jpg
Genl JC Smuts.jpg
Leader J. B. M. Hertzog Jan Smuts
Party National South African
Last election 78 seats, 41.16% 61 seats, 46.51%
Seats won 75 61
Seat change Decrease3 Steady0
Popular vote 101,159 71,486
Percentage 31.61% 22.34%
Swing Decrease9.55pp Decrease24.17pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Tielman Roos.jpg
Walter Madeley.jpg
Leader Tielman Roos Walter Madeley
Party Roos Labour
Last election 8 seats, 9.86%
Seats won 2 2
Seat change New Decrease6
Popular vote 27,441 20,276
Percentage 8.58% 6.34%
Swing Increase8.58pp Decrease3.52pp

Results by province

Prime Minister before election

J. B. M. Hertzog
National

Elected Prime Minister

J. B. M. Hertzog
National

Changes to the franchise

Since the 1929 election several changes had been made to the franchise laws. Adult white women were enfranchised in 1930. In 1931 all European males over the age of 21 were enfranchised (eliminating property and wage qualifications for that section of the population).[2]

One effect of these changes, which were not extended to the non-white population of the Union, was to dilute the influence of the non-white electors in Cape Province and Natal.

Delimitation of electoral divisions

The South Africa Act 1909 had provided for a delimitation commission to define the boundaries for each electoral division. The representation by province, under the sixth delimitation report of 1932, is set out in the table below. The figures in brackets are the number of electoral divisions in the previous (1928) delimitation. If there is no figure in brackets then the number was unchanged.[3]

ProvincesCapeNatalOrange Free StateTransvaalTotal
Divisions61 (58)16 (17)16 (18)57 (55)150 (148)

Results

The vote totals in the table below may not give a complete picture of the balance of political opinion, because of unopposed elections (where no votes were cast) and because contested seats may not have been fought by a candidate from all major parties.

As the two largest parties were in coalition together, the opposition to the government was weaker and more fragmented than in any other election in South African history.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Party101,15931.6175–3
South African Party71,48622.34610
Roos Party27,4418.582New
Labour Party20,2766.342–6
Natal Home Rule Party12,3283.850New
Independents87,32127.2910+9
Total320,011100.00150+2
Valid votes320,01198.95
Invalid/blank votes3,4061.05
Total votes323,417100.00
Registered voters/turnout957,63633.77
Source: South Africa 1982[4]

An alternative breakdown of members, distinguishing between supporters and opponents of the coalition, was (pro Coalition) NP 75, SAP 61, Creswell Labour 2, Roos 2; (opposition) National Council Labour 2, Natal Home Ruler 2, Independents 6.[5] Another interpretation, is NP 75, SAP 61, Labour 4, Roos Party 2, Home Rule group 2 and Independents 6.[6]

References

  • Keesing's Contemporary Archives
  • The Rise of the South African Reich, by Brian Bunting, (first published by Penguin Africa Library in 1964 and revised in 1969) accessed on an ANC website 3 August 2010
  • Smuts: A Reappraisal, by Bernard Friedman (George, Allen & Unwin 1975) ISBN 0-04-920045-3
  • South Africa 1982 Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications
  • The South African Constitution, by H.J. May (3rd edition 1955, Juta & Co)
  1. Keesing's Contemporary Archives, 1931-1934, page 747
  2. ‘'The South African Constitution'’, by H.J. May (3rd edition 1955, Juta & Co) pp. 92–93
  3. South Africa 1982, page 129
  4. South Africa 1982, pp174–176
  5. The South African Constitution, page 135
  6. The Rise of the South African Reich, chapter 2: The First Nationalist Government
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