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
All 150 seats in the House of Assembly
Turnout	33.77% (drop due to increase in franchise)
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 3 0 Popular vote 101,159 71,486 Percentage 31.61% 22.34% Swing 9.55% 24.17%   RP Leader Tielman Roos Walter Madeley Party Roos Labour Last election – 8 seats, 9.86% Seats won 2 2 Seat change New 6 Popular vote 27,441 20,276 Percentage 8.58% 6.34% Swing 8.58% 24.17%
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]

Provinces	Cape	Natal	Orange Free State	Transvaal	Total
Divisions	61 (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.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	National Party	101,159	31.61	75	–3
	South African Party	71,486	22.34	61	0
	Roos Party	27,441	8.58	2	New
	Labour Party	20,276	6.34	2	–6
	Natal Home Rule Party	12,328	3.85	0	New
	Independents	87,321	27.29	10	+9
Total		320,011	100.00	150	+2
Valid votes		320,011	98.95
Invalid/blank votes		3,406	1.05
Total votes		323,417	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		957,636	33.77
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