Another textbook reading provides further insight into the ever saddening history of apartheid South Africa. As one can imagine, the economic devastation of the Great Depression led to the merger of Smuts’ South African Party and Hertzog’s National Party. This formed the New United Party (U.P.) government, that took office in 1934. However, there was still a risk that the government might be outflanked by the more radical racialism of Malan’s breakaway Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party (G.N.P.), also known as the Purified National Party. This led to even further discriminatory legislation later in the decade.
The Representation of Natives Act of 1936 removed the Africans but not the coloreds from the electoral roll in the Cape. It established an advisory Natives Representative Council, made up of largely traditional African leaders. However, just like the Seattle Public Schools graduation survey, it was all just for show. The council lacked any real power, just like responding to the survey didn’t provide any real results.
The Native Trust and Land act of 1936 extended the area of the native reserves to 13% of the total land area of the country. While this was accomplished on paper, it never was truly achieved in practice. Instead, it enhanced the power of authority to evict Africans who lived illegally in White areas. What should have been a sanctuary for the Natives turned out to be more of a prison. To make matters worse, the 1937 Native Laws Amendment Act allowed for stricter enforcement and tighter regulation of the existing pass laws. Sadly, the natives were only halfway through a terrible period of unjust rule in their country.
20th Century History 