Die Apartheidsverkiesing van November 1948 in die Oos-Kaapse Naturelle-Kieskring

Abstract

The Apartheid Election of November 1948 in the Eastern Cape Native Electoral Circle Since the acceptance of the Representation of Natives Act in 1936 the National Party (N.P.) was opposed to the representation of blacks by three whites in the House of Assembly. During the 1948 election the N.P. campaigned for their removal. After the N.P.'s victory at the polls they surprised friend and foe by deciding to contest the native elections with independent N.P. candidates. The reason for this surprising move was that the N.P. hoped to enlarge their slender majority in Parliament. Although independent N.P. candidates contested all three circles, all eyes were focused on the Eastern Cape election where the respected liberal and parliamentarian, Margaret Ballinger, was opposed by the N.P.'s strongest candidate, dr P.J. Schoeman. Dr Schoeman, a former professor in Anthropology and a well-known Afrikaans writer, waged a furious campaign. In contrast to the N.P.' s motivation for participating in the election, Schoeman personally was motivated by the idea to help the blacks and to show the merits of apartheid. The result of this was a fierce debate in the black community over the question whether to support or reject apartheid. In the end it was a shattering defeat for Schoeman and the philosophy of apartheid. Thus ended in humiliation, one of the few attempts by the N.P. to canvass the blacks' support for apartheid.

Die Nasionale Party (N.P.) was vanaf die instelling van die Naturelleverteenwoordigingswet van 1936 teen die verteenwoordiging van swartes in die Volksraad gekant. Die Naturelleverteenwoordigingswet het die swart kiesers van die gemeenskaplike kieserslys verwyder en vir hulle verteenwoordiging in die Parlement deur middel van drie blanke Volksraadslede en vier senatore voorsiening gemaak. Volgens dr D.F. Malan, leier van die
N.P., sou die drie verkose blanke Volksraadslede (L.V.'s) wat as die swartes se verteenwoordigers moes optree, slegs agitators vir die uitbreiding van Naturelleregte word. Maar nieteenstaande hierdie teenkanting van Malan en sy party het hut tog die wetsontwerp tydens die stemming vir die instelling van die drie blanke Naturelleverteenwoordigers gesteun. Die N.P. se dubbelsinnige optrede was gemotiveer deur die party se besorgdheid oor blanke oorlewing. Die wet is gesien as 'n geleentheid om van die swartes op die gemeenskaplike kieserslys ontslae te raak en sodoende die blanke se posisie te "beveilig". Die teenstrydigheid in die party se optrede het egter daarna voortgeduur, want tydens die algemene verkiesing van 1938 het hy hom alreeds vir die verwydering van die Naturelleverteenwoordigers in die Volksraad beywer.