Fagan Commission
Encyclopedia
The Native Laws Commission, commonly known as the Fagan Commission, was appointed by the government
of South Africa
in 1946 to investigate changes to the system of segregation
.
The main recommendation of the commission's report was that influx control of African people to urban areas should be relaxed. This in turn would increase the flow of labour
and prevent the problem of migrant labour living in distant rural areas. The Fagan report called for the creation of a stabilised population of African workers within urban areas to create a reliable work force for business as well as an increased consumer base for retailers.
The report was published at a time when Jan Smuts
's popularity was low and his detractors had more support. In response the South African National Party created their own commission called the Sauer Commission
. Its report suggested the exact opposite of the Fagan Commission, i.e. segregation should continue and be implemented across all social and economic areas of life. The rise of postwar Apartheid can be attributed to the Sauer commission.
The members of the Fagan Commission were: Henry Allan Fagan, A.S. Welsh, A.L. Barrett, E.E. von Maltitz and S.J. Parsons.
Government of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1946 to investigate changes to the system of segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
.
The main recommendation of the commission's report was that influx control of African people to urban areas should be relaxed. This in turn would increase the flow of labour
Labor force
In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce, including both the employed and unemployed.Normally, the labor force of a country consists of everyone of working age In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce,...
and prevent the problem of migrant labour living in distant rural areas. The Fagan report called for the creation of a stabilised population of African workers within urban areas to create a reliable work force for business as well as an increased consumer base for retailers.
The report was published at a time when Jan Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
's popularity was low and his detractors had more support. In response the South African National Party created their own commission called the Sauer Commission
Sauer Commission
The Sauer Commission , was created in 1947 largely in response to the Fagan Commission. It was appointed by the Herenigde Nasionale Party and favoured even stricter segregation laws....
. Its report suggested the exact opposite of the Fagan Commission, i.e. segregation should continue and be implemented across all social and economic areas of life. The rise of postwar Apartheid can be attributed to the Sauer commission.
The members of the Fagan Commission were: Henry Allan Fagan, A.S. Welsh, A.L. Barrett, E.E. von Maltitz and S.J. Parsons.
Publications
- A digest of the Fagan report. The Native Laws (Fagan) Commission. Prepared by Helen SuzmanHelen SuzmanHelen Suzman, DBE was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician.-Biography:Helen Suzman, a life-long citizen of South Africa, was born as Helen Gavronsky in 1917 to Jewish immigrants....
. Johannesburg, South African Institute of Race Relations, 1948. - 'n Samevatting van die verslag van die (Fagan-)Kommissie van ondersoek na die naturelee-wette. Opgestel door Helen Suzman. Johannesburg, Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Rasse-Verhoudings, [1948].