African Studies Institute - Seminar Papers

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Subject: search.filters.subject.South Africa. History. 1909-1961

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    The Germiston by-election of 1932: the state and the white working class during the Depression
    (1977-08) Lewis, Jon
    The Germiston by-election of 1932 was significant in itself. At the time it attracted detailed national coverage. It was marked by an intensity of campaigning which often erupted in violence, but also ensured a very high turnout at the poll. Five government ministers and several opposition spokesmen visited the constituency to speak in support of their respective candidates. Moreover there was no shortage of candidates. Five parties stood in the election, and a further four candidates, including one black, proposed to stand at some time or other during the election period. The election was influenced by specifically local factors: particularly by a bitter strike in the clothing industry. "However, the by-election was of truly national significance. Not only did the outcome of the election represent a crushing defeat for the Nationalist/Pact Government of the time, and thus rendered Hertzog more amenable to the idea of coalition. More than this, the by-election raised more general questions about the whole relationship between the 'power bloc1 and the 'white working class', and highlighted very clearly the impact of the Depression on certain sections of white workers.
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    The Torch Commando & the politics of white opposition: South Africa 1951-1953
    (1976-03) Fridjhon, Michael
    The Torch Commando is customarily regarded as a war veterans movement which emerged spontaneously as a response to the proposed violation of the Constitution by the Nationalist Government through the removal of the Coloureds from the Common Roll without the requisite two thirds majority. In terms of this view, the emotional and volatile nature of the movement's origins are both its strength and its weakness. The Torch is regarded as an ephemeral feature on the South African political landscape. The explanation of its meteoric rise and fall needs to be consistent for itself only, and only bears relation to the rest of the white political structure inasmuch as it can be used to elucidate problems about the official opposition groups.