Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 January 2009
F. S. Malan's role, and the influence of the Cape ‘liberal’ tradition in the post-Union era, have been seriously under-estimated. As Minister of Mines and Industries and effective Minister of Native Affairs, Malan was responsible for the passage of a comprehensive system of labour legislation between 1913 and 1924, linked to a new initiative in ‘native policy’ in urban areas. The limitations of such an initiative must, however, not be lost sight of, for in the last analysis few of the Cape ‘liberals’ would have been prepared to face the full social and economic, let alone the political implications of a multi-racial society, and Malan was no exception. His initiative can best be seen as differing in tone rather than in substance from the politics of his colleagues. In his defence of the Cape franchise, Malan sought to defend African citizenship rights within a limited ‘political’ context. It was only during the brief period after 1918 that he attempted a settlement of race and industrial problems, but even then, as a Cape ‘liberal’, he never challenged the basis of the status quo in South Africa. Yet it is still true to say that he was ousted from party politics in the Union after 1924 largely because he persistently adhered to a different political tradition to that held by those who led both the SAP and the National Party.
1 See in particular Trapido, Stanley, ‘White Conflict and Non-White Participation in the Politics of the Cape of Good Hope, 1853–1910’, unpublished Ph.D. Thesis (London, 1970).Google Scholar
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24 These changes were incorporated in Malan's Draft Constitution for the S.A.P. which was eventually adopted in 291. See Malan Papers, 1920.Google Scholar
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26 Garson, N. G., ‘Party Politics’, 130.Google Scholar
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34 Cape Times Parliamentary Debates, 3 Apr. 1917. Burton, a Cape liberal who had been closely involved with native policy since Union, also praised the Bill as ‘a signal triumph for the Cape tradition’ and argued that it in no way abrogated the rights of Africans in the Cape.Google Scholar
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36 Malan, F. S. to South African Native National Congress delegation, 12 Nov. 1918.Google Scholar See Malan Papers, 1922 and U.G. 41—1922.Google Scholar
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39 E.g. the Transvaal Miners Assn.Google Scholar
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44 Cape Times Parliamentary Debates, 12 May 1914. F. S. Malan on the Colour Bar.Google Scholar
45 Cape Times Parliamentary Debates, 25 Feb. 1922. ‘Colour-bar’ debate in parliament. This seems to indicate that there was no strict application of the earlier legislation.Google Scholar
46 This view was later confirmed by the judgment of Mr Justice Krause in Nov. 1923, in Rex vs Hildick Smith.Google Scholar
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49 The Low Grade Mines Commission Report, 1920 (U.G. 34—1920).Google Scholar
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52 Mining and Industrial legislation between 1914 and 1914 for which Malan was responsible: (There were also numerous measures concerning miners phthisis regulations.)Google Scholar
53 Though very little of Malan's industrial legislation came to apply to non-whites it is probable that this was due to forces outside his control (as he had intimated with regard to the ‘colour-bar’), rather than to his own intent, since none of the Acts included any reference to the ‘colour-bar’.Google Scholar
54 Malan's links with capitalist mining interests at this time offer an interesting parallel to his association with the ‘Kindergarten’ in the years prior to Union. (See Kallaway, P., ‘F. S. Malan, the Cape liberal tradition and the Politics of Union. 1900–1910’, unpublished typescript, 1973.)Google Scholar
55 Malan was the first member of the Cabinet to address a labour convention, and in his speech he defended the new order of labour relations enshrined in the Treaty of Versailles. He also upheld ‘the necessity for the State to control industry, and to provide the machinery by which consultation between different parties can be brought about without violent upheaval or strike…’, Malan Papers, 1920.Google Scholar
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60 Ibid. Papers concerning the Mozambique Convention. 52–53 June 1922.
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65 This was linked to a whole programme of slum clearance that was envisaged. It is interesting to note that this Bill was introduced two days before the end of the parliamentary sitting, perhaps an indication of the insecurity felt by the government even on such a relatively minor issue involving policy on race relations.Google Scholar
66 Second Report of the Select Committee on Native Affairs, June 1920. U.G. 34—1922.Google Scholar
67 Cape Times Parliamentary Debates, 27 May 1920 for 26 May 1920. These remarks are all the more interesting in view of Smuts's volte face in 1923. (See below.)Google Scholar
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69 For a masterly study of the ideas which underlay the Phelps-Stokes ideology of ‘education for subservience’ which gained much currency at this time, see King, K. J., Pan-Africanism and Education (Oxford, 1971).Google Scholar
70 The members were Senator A. W. Roberts, Dr C. T. Loram and Geni. L. A. S. Lemmer.Google Scholar
71 Cape Times Parliamentary Debates, 27 May 1920.Google Scholar
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74 Report of F. S. Malan's interview with SANNC delegation—12 Nov. 1918. Malan Papers, 1918 and U.G. 41—1922.Google Scholar
75 Interview of the Transvaal Free Church Council with Hon. the Minister of Native Affairs, 12 Dec. 1918. Malan Papers, 1918.Google Scholar
76 Hancock, W. K. (Smuts, II, 118–19) has the role of the Bishop of Pretoria completely out of perspective when he gives him the sole credit for persuading Smuts to undertake a new approach to native policy.Google Scholar
77 This is well summarized in Davenport, ‘The passing of the… Urban Areas Act’, Op. Cit.Google Scholar
78 The Report of the Native Affairs Commission, Chapter III, ‘The Native in Town’, U.G. 15—1922.Google Scholar
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86 The SANNC deputation interviewed by Smuts (as Prime Minister) on 1 June 1923, in the presence of Sir W. Stanford and Col. Godley, comprised T. J. Gumede, R. V. Selope Thema, F. Mapetla and others. (See Davenport, ‘The passing of the… Urban Areas Act’, op. cit.).Google Scholar
87 Trapido, S., ‘White conflict and Non-White Participation’ op. cit. 206.Google Scholar