1929 South African general election

General elections were held in South Africa on 12 June 1929.[1] The National Party under J. B. M. Hertzog won an outright majority in the House of Assembly. Hertzog had the opportunity to form a government without the aid of the Labour Party. In fact the Pact government continued, with two ministers from the Creswell Labour faction remaining in office. The National Party remained the dominant party, for its second consecutive term.

1929 South African general election

← 1924 12 June 1929 1933 →

All 148 seats in the House of Assembly
75 seats needed for a majority
Registered461,820
Turnout75.34% (Decrease 1.89pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Lab
Leader J. B. M. Hertzog Jan Smuts Disputed
Party National South African Labour
Last election 35.25%, 63 seats 47.04%, 53 seats 14.35%, 18 seats
Seats won 78 61 8
Seat change Increase 15 Increase 8 Decrease 10
Popular vote 141,579 159,896 33,919
Percentage 41.17% 46.50% 9.86%
Swing Increase 5.92pp Decrease 0.54pp Decrease 4.49pp

Results by province

Prime Minister before election

J. B. M. Hertzog
National

Elected Prime Minister

J. B. M. Hertzog
National

Due to the split in the Labour Party, just eight MPs were elected for the party, of whom only four sat on the government benches.[2] The leadership disputed between Colonel Frederic Creswell (of the Creswell Labour faction) and Walter Madeley (from the National Council Labour faction) following the split.

Delimitation of electoral divisions

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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 fifth delimitation report of 1928, is set out in the table below. The figures in brackets are the number of electoral divisions in the previous (1923) delimitation. If there is no figure in brackets then the number was unchanged.[3]

Provinces Cape Natal Orange Free State Transvaal Total
Divisions 58 (51) 17 18 (17) 55 (50) 148 (135)

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
South African Party159,89646.5061+8
National Party141,57941.1778+15
Labour Party33,9199.868–10
Independents8,5032.4710
Total343,897100.00148+13
Valid votes343,89798.84
Invalid/blank votes4,0271.16
Total votes347,924100.00
Registered voters/turnout461,82075.34
Source: South Africa 1982[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Elections in South Africa". African Elections Database. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  2. ^ The South African Constitution, p. 135
  3. ^ South Africa 1982, p. 129
  4. ^ South Africa 1982, pp. 174–176

Bibliography

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  • 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)