Overview of sa's economy (1910 -1948)

Economic and management sciences

Grade 7

Economic policy direction (1910 – 1994)

Module 11

Overview of south africa’s economy (1910 – 1948)

After the end of the Second Boer War there were four independent provinces in South Africa: The Cape Colony, the two former Boer republics (Transvaal and the Orange Free State), and Natal. Each had its own parliament. In 1910 they were united to form the Union of South Africa.

We are going to study the development of South Africa’s economy according to a time-line. Explanatory notes will be provided throughout, to shed some light on the important moments in the development of the economy.

a) The regime of the two generals – Botha and Smuts 1910 to 1924

When the Union of South Africa was founded in 1910, the three important parties joined forces and established the South African National Party. Gen. Louis Botha was the prime minister. The opposition parties formed the Unionist Party. Both parties envisaged unity between white Afrikaans- and English-speaking people, establishing one South African nation.

Botha’s aim was to unite English- and Afrikaans-speakers. He made it his mission in life to bridge the gap between the two groups.

Hertzog fought for the interests of the Afrikaner.

The continuing friction between Botha and Herzog was the reason why Hertzog founded his own party, the Nationalist Party.

Any male citizen who was a British subject could vote if he:

• Could write his name, address and occupation.
• Earned more than ₤50 in wages per year, or resided on a property to the value of ₤75 or more.

These qualifications eliminated most black males, even if they inhabited traditional (ethnic) land.

Activity 1:

To establish what percentage of each population group made up the country’s total population

[lo 2.1]

In 1910 the population of the Union of South Africa comprised the following:

• whites – 1 278 000
• Coloureds – 517 000
• blacks – 3 956 000
• Asians – 148 000

What percentage did each population group make up of the total population? Write down the percentage next to each population group.

Activity 2:

To establish what percentage of men in each population group had the vote

[lo 2.1]

What percentage of men in each of the population groups had the vote? Write down the percentage next to each population group.

• white males – 497 700
• Coloured males – 46 200
• black males – 76 000

c) Native Land Bill (Act on Possession of Land) 1913

The most important act passed during this time was the Naturellen Grond Wet which became of force in June 1913. This act allocated land to blacks in their own areas (reserves) and forbade the selling of white land to blacks, and black land to whites.

This act was the result of people’s fears and concerns about blacks who entered white areas. The large majority of these blacks were squatters who settled on private and state land.

This was the first act in the Union of South Africa that resulted in separate areas.

d) The founding of the ANC

The South African National Congress, later the African National Congress (ANC) insisted on the abolishment of this act. In February 1914 they sent a delegation to London, asking the British government to abolish this act, but without success, for the British government was not prepared to get involved in South African affairs.