The 1948 Election That Institutionalised Apartheid
The Story of South Africa: Empire, Apartheid, and Transformation — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
In 1948, South Africa's general election delivered a seismic shift: the National Party, led by D.F. Malan, defeated Jan Smuts's United Party on a platform of apartheid. This episode unpacks the election campaign, the role of the Sauer Commission, the 'swart gevaar' (black peril) rhetoric, and the narrow victory that surprised even the winners. We explore how the Herenigde Nasionale Party allied with the Afrikaner Party, the impact of white urbanisation and postwar anxiety, and the immediate steps after the election — the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act (1949), the Population Registration Act (1950), and the Group Areas Act (1950). The episode also touches on the role of the Broederbond and the dismantling of Cape liberalism. A pivotal moment that re-racialised South Africa for nearly five decades. #1948Election #Apartheid #DFMalan #JanSmuts #NationalParty #UnitedParty #SauerCommission #SwartGevaar #Broederbond #PopulationRegistrationAct #GroupAreasAct #MixedMarriagesAct #SouthAfrica #CapeLiberalism #AfrikanerNationalism #RacePolicy #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
