South African general election, 1974
Encyclopedia
The 1974 South African general election, held on 24 April, was called one year earlier than scheduled by Prime Minister John Vorster on 4 February. The House of Assembly
was increased from 166 to 171 members. The Progressive Party
made a major advance. In addition to Helen Suzman
, re-elected for Houghton, five other members won seats including the party leader Colin Eglin
. A seventh member of the caucus was elected at a by-election
soon after. The United Party
won 41 seats. The election would also see Harry Schwarz
, leader of the United Party in the Transvaal
, enter Parliament, who would soon lead a break away from the United Party and would become one of the Apartheid's most prominent opponents in Parliament.
broke away from the United Party
and created the Reform Party
. The party merged with the Progressive Party
on 25 July 1975 to form the Progressive Reform Party
. In 1977 another group of United Party members left the party to form the Committee for a United Opposition, which then joined the Progressive Reform Party to form the Progressive Federal Party
. This proved to realign the opposition in Parliament, as the PFP became the official opposition party.
were held on 30 May 1974 by an electoral college made up of members of the Assembly and various others. The National Party gained one seat at the expense of the United Party, winning 32 of the 44 seats (the United Party held 12 seats).
House of Assembly of South Africa
The House of Assembly was the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa from 1910 to 1984, and latterly the white representative house of the Tricameral Parliament from 1984 to 1994, when it was replaced by the current National Assembly...
was increased from 166 to 171 members. The Progressive Party
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
made a major advance. In addition to Helen Suzman
Helen Suzman
Helen 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....
, re-elected for Houghton, five other members won seats including the party leader Colin Eglin
Colin Eglin
Colin Wells Eglin is a South African politician who is best known for having served as national leader of the opposition from 1977–79 and 1986-87...
. A seventh member of the caucus was elected at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
soon after. The United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
won 41 seats. The election would also see Harry Schwarz
Harry Schwarz
Harry Heinz Schwarz was a South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid, who eventually served as the South African ambassador to the United States during the country’s transition to representative democracy.Schwarz rose from the childhood poverty he...
, leader of the United Party in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, enter Parliament, who would soon lead a break away from the United Party and would become one of the Apartheid's most prominent opponents in Parliament.
Creation of Reform Party
On 11 February 1975 four liberal MPs led by Harry SchwarzHarry Schwarz
Harry Heinz Schwarz was a South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid, who eventually served as the South African ambassador to the United States during the country’s transition to representative democracy.Schwarz rose from the childhood poverty he...
broke away from the United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
and created the Reform Party
Reform Party (South Africa)
The Reform Party was an anti-apartheid political party that existed for just five months in 1975 and is one of the predecessor parties to the Democratic Alliance...
. The party merged with the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
on 25 July 1975 to form the Progressive Reform Party
Progressive Reform Party
The Progressive Reform Party was a South African party that was formed on 26 July 1975 by the fusion of the Reform Party led by Harry Schwarz and Progressive Party led by Colin Eglin...
. In 1977 another group of United Party members left the party to form the Committee for a United Opposition, which then joined the Progressive Reform Party to form the Progressive Federal Party
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
. This proved to realign the opposition in Parliament, as the PFP became the official opposition party.
House of Assembly results
Only 125 of the 171 seats were contested. There were 2 203 349 registered voters.| Party | Candidates | Votes | %Votes | Seats | %Seats | Previous | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Party National Party (South Africa) The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a... |
105 | 636 586 | 57.1% | 123 | 71.9% | 118 | +5 | |
| United Party United Party (South Africa) The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party... |
96 | 363 459 | 32.7% | 41 | 24.0% | 47 | -6 | |
| Progressive Party Progressive Party (South Africa) The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman... |
22 | 58 768 | 5.3% | 7 | 4.1% | 1 | +6 | |
| Herstigte Nasionale Party Herstigte Nasionale Party The Herstigte Nasionale Party van Suid-Afrika was formed as a right-wing splinter group of the South African National Party.-Formation:... |
48 | 39 568 | 3.6% | 0.0% | 0 | |||
| Democratic Party Democratic Party (South Africa) The Democratic Party was the name of the South African political party now called the Democratic Alliance . Although the Democratic Party name dates from 1989, the party existed under other labels throughout the Apartheid years, when it was the Parliamentary opposition to the ruling National... |
7 | 10 449 | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0 | |||
| Others | 15 | 4 990 | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0 | |||
| Total valid | 293 | 1 113 820 | 100.0% | 171 | 100.0% | 166 | +5 | |
| Spoilt | 20 823 | |||||||
| Total votes | 1 134 643 | |||||||
Senate
The elections for the SenateSenate of South Africa
The Senate was the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa between 1910 and its abolition from 1 January 1981, and between 1994 and 1997.-1910-1981:...
were held on 30 May 1974 by an electoral college made up of members of the Assembly and various others. The National Party gained one seat at the expense of the United Party, winning 32 of the 44 seats (the United Party held 12 seats).
| Seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Party National Party (South Africa) The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a... |
32 | +1 | |
| United Party United Party (South Africa) The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party... |
12 | —1 | |
| Total | 44 | ||