31-506: Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom (also spelled Strydom in accordance with Afrikaans spelling; 14 July 1893 – 24 August 1958), also known as Hans Strijdom and nicknamed the Lion of the North or the Lion of Waterberg , was a South African politician and the fifth prime minister of South Africa from 30 November 1954 to his death on 24 August 1958. He was an uncompromising Afrikaner nationalist and
62-480: A new constitution was adopted – effectively merging the role of Prime Minister and State President. The last Prime Minister of South Africa, P. W. Botha , became the first executive State President after the constitutional reform in 1984 after Marais Viljoen 's retirement. In post-apartheid South Africa, the Inkatha Freedom Party has called for a return to a Westminster-style split executive with
93-430: A Prime Minister as head of government, which is part of its overarching goal of avoiding a single-party South African state. South African Party United Party National Party Nicolaas Havenga Nicolaas Christiaan Havenga (1 May 1882 – 14 March 1957) better known as Klasie Havenga , was a South African politician who served as Finance Minister in
124-546: A Westminster system, as opposed to the executive presidency of the Boer Republics . After the surprising victory of the National Party in 1948 , won on a programme of implementing apartheid involving strict ethnic segregation and White minority rule , Malan became Prime Minister of South Africa and Strijdom became Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. Although it was not one of the classic portfolios, it
155-458: A comfortable majority. Havenga was appointed Minister of Finance yet again, serving under Malan as Prime Minister . Havenga was however not comfortable working with the HNP, especially after Malan began to suggest changing elements of the non-white franchise. As a result Havenga, through their mutual friend Dr. E.G. Malherbe, made contact with Jan Smuts , suggesting that he might be prepared to form
186-533: A government with him instead. Smuts was reluctant to work with Havenga, accusing him of fascism (particularly as the Afrikaner Party had absorbed a number of former members of the pro- Nazi Ossewabrandwag ) and the notion finally broke down when Malherbe suggested that the arrangement might involve Havenga as Prime Minister with Smuts playing more of a background role. After this scheme fell apart Havenga continued as Finance Minister and in this role garnered
217-631: A lawyer, whilst also joining the South African Party and representing the group in the Orange Free State provincial council from 1910. He was elected to the national parliament in the 1915 election and, after a period as a defence spokesman, soon became recognised for his financial expertise. Havenga was a leading member of Hertzog's government and indeed with Oswald Pirow he formed the basis of Hertzog's 'inner cabinet' which controlled decision making. As Finance Minister he
248-710: A member of the largest, baasskap ( white supremacist ) faction of the National Party (NP), who further accentuated the NP's apartheid policies and break with the Union of South Africa in favour of a republic during his rule. He was born on the family farm of Klipfontein near Willowmore in the Cape Colony and trained as a lawyer at Victoria College (which later became the University of Stellenbosch ) and
279-477: A reputation for fostering close economic co-operation with the United Kingdom, despite his earlier associations with anti-British sentiments. Despite his earlier attempts to break the coalition, following Malan's retirement in 1954 he indicated that Havenga, whose Afrikaner Party had by then merged with the HNP, was his preferred choice of successor. However in spite of this endorsement, the extremists in
310-512: A street named after Strijdom (the M10 ) to a new name in honor of Solomon Mahlangu . His house in Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) is now a museum, which holds parts of the collapsed bust. In Johannesburg , there is a suburb and a street named after Strijdom, although the spelling "Strydom" is also used, even if a couple have already been renamed, one being Malibongwe Drive . In Weltevredenpark ,
341-665: A suburb of Roodepoort , there is a street named JG Strydom Road. Randburg also has a business district called Strijdompark named after him. The Hillbrow Tower in Johannesburg was officially named the J.G. Strijdom Tower until 1995, when, shortly after the end of apartheid , it was renamed the Telkom Hillbrow Tower. In Windhoek , then in South West Africa , the main airport was named J.G. Strijdom Airport following its opening in 1965. Following
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#1732791246954372-525: A year. His second wife was Susan de Klerk , aunt of future president F W de Klerk . She bore Strijdom two children: Johannes and Estelle. His widow Susan died in 1999 and daughter Estelle (Crowson), in 2009. There are still various monuments dedicated to Strijdom in South Africa. One monument in central Pretoria , which featured his bust , collapsed in 2001 injuring two people. In 2012, the city of Pretoria renamed 27 streets, which included renaming
403-707: The British monarchy , and deepened the Afrikaner ascendency in South Africa, while strengthening the policy of apartheid , including through the Group Areas Development Act . With regard to racial policies, he believed strongly in the perpetuation of White minority and thus Afrikaner rule through the removal of Cape Coloured voters from the common voters roll and put on a separate Coloured voters roll electing separate (White) representatives, which Malan initiated but could not push through, and
434-769: The German South West Africa campaign during World War I , as a member of the South African Medical Corps and, later, of Helgaardt's Scouts , where he reached the rank of corporal. Strijdom later settled in Nylstroom , Transvaal . He identified strongly with this area and its people and became a local community leader amongst the Afrikaners . In 1929, Strijdom was elected to the House of Assembly as MP for Waterberg , representing
465-595: The National Party (NP) headed by General J.B.M. Hertzog . Strijdom was also leader of the NP in Transvaal, by far the most important province of South Africa, and as such had a strong power base. After the National Party of J.B.M. Hertzog merged with the South African Party of General Jan Smuts and formed the United Party (UP) during the World Economic Crisis in 1932, Strijdom was part of
496-677: The Soviet Union . The Suez Crisis gave a geopolitical victory, as closure of the passage through the war-ridden Suez Canal made Western oil transports dependent upon the Cape of Good Hope and thus the goodwill of the South African Navy , making the question of the regime's survival less precarious. During his last year in office, Strijdom's weak health led to long terms of absence. He died on 24 August 1958 in Cape Town and
527-622: The University of Pretoria . His father Petrus Strijdom was a very well-known farmer and innovator in the Baviaanskloof where Strijdom was born. He owned three farms in the kloof of which the main farm was Sandvlakte on which the local school, church and shop was sited. He owned businesses and shops right down to the Gamtoos valley (birthplace of the well-known Khoi woman Saartjie Baartman ). He also sold baboon fur and manufactured shoes and soap amongst other products. Strijdom served in
558-596: The break-away faction of the National Party, named the Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party ( Purified National Party ). Later, after the United Party was formed, the GNP became known as the (Reunited) National Party under the leadership of D. F. Malan . Malan, Strijdom and their followers distrusted Smuts and opposed his pro-British policy. Most of the National Party's MPs stayed with Hertzog, and as Strijdom
589-517: The country's independence as Namibia in 1990, it was renamed Hosea Kutako International Airport . And next to Hoedspruit there is a tunnel named after him called J.G Strijdom Tunnel next to the village called Leboeng. Prime minister of South Africa The prime minister of South Africa ( Afrikaans : Eerste Minister van Suid-Afrika) was the head of government in South Africa between 1910 and 1984. The position of Prime Minister
620-556: The election and so rejected the offer. Havenga was not a member of the House of Assembly at the time of the election as, like Hertzog, he had resigned his seat in the body when Hertzog was rejected as leader. Havenga's 1487 votes in the Frankfort constituency was the party's best result but it was not enough to see him elected. Before long however he was back working with Malan in an Afrikaner Party- Herenigde Nasionale Party (HNP) coalition, which succeeded in ousting Smuts in 1948 ,
651-491: The governments of J. B. M. Hertzog and D. F. Malan . Havenga's family suffered financial hardship in his youth and as a result he was unable to attend university despite strong performances at school. His relationship with Hertzog began during the Second Boer War , when Havenga served as his private secretary and in this role was wounded several times. Following his war service he returned to study and qualified as
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#1732791246954682-481: The prime minister's advice. Thus, the prime minister was the country's leading political figure and de facto chief executive, with powers similar to those of his British counterpart . The first prime minister was Louis Botha , a former Boer general and war hero during the Second Boer War . The position of Prime Minister was abolished in 1984, when the State President was given executive powers after
713-494: The resignation of Malan and against the latter's will; Malan had preferred the more moderate Havenga, Minister of Finance, as his successor. However, Strijdom was popular among NP party members and people trusted him to push things smoothly forward towards a republic, something Malan was considered to be only lukewarm about as it would enrage the United Kingdom and jeopardise South Africa's international standing. During Strijdom's term as prime minister, he began moves to sever ties with
744-451: The two having formally agreed an electoral pact for their respective parties in March 1947. Malan had feared the possibility of the Afrikaner Party picking up disaffected Afrikaans voters and as such had been making overtures to Havenga since 1946. Havenga's party gained nine seats after the HNP gave them a free run in a handful of constituencies. He was elected as member for Ladybrand with
775-488: Was apparently Strijdom's choice since he had a keen interest in agriculture and was a part-time farmer. Malan gave him the portfolio because his young wife disliked Strijdom. Malan tried his best to ensure the more moderate Nicolaas Havenga succeeded him as prime minister, rather than Strijdom. On 30 November 1954, Strijdom was elected leader of the National Party and thus the Prime Minister of South Africa after
806-399: Was established in 1910, when the Union of South Africa was formed. He was appointed by the head of state—the governor-general until 1961 and the state president after South Africa became a republic in 1961. In practice, he was the leader of the majority party or coalition in the House of Assembly . With few exceptions, the governor-general/state president was bound by convention to act on
837-617: Was intending to split from the government over the issue and form a new party that would go into coalition with Jan Smuts , forcing Havenga to abandon his earlier stance to save the government. A loyal supporter of Hertzog, he defected from the United Party government following its formation and later led the pro-Hertzog Afrikaner Party . Havenga led the party in the 1943 election but all of its candidates, including Havenga himself, were defeated. He had initially suggested an alliance with Malan but his opponent reasoned, correctly as it proved, that he did not need Afrikaner Party support to win
868-401: Was loyal to Malan, he was the only MP from Transvaal to support Malan's ideals. Strijdom favoured the establishment of a republic, allegedly with himself as the first President of South Africa , but due to political controversy this step was not achieved until 1961, after his death, and then only with Governor-General Charles Swart assuming the position of symbolic State President over
899-530: Was only accomplished in 1960, under Strijdom's successor . Strijdom was an open proponent of crude baaskap ( white supremacy or white domination). The extended Treason Trial of 156 activists (including Nelson Mandela ) involved in the Freedom Charter , happened during Strijdom's term in office. He also managed to further extend the NP's parliamentary seats during the general election in 1958. Strijdom's government also severed diplomatic relations with
930-497: Was responsible for the decision to take South Africa off the gold standard , one that led to a significant economic upturn. Havenga had formerly been a harsh critic of this move, reflecting populist opinions that gold-producing South Africa should refuse to follow the United Kingdom off the gold standard, supposedly as a piece of nationalist posturing against the British. In 1932 however rumours had been circulating that Tielman Roos
961-590: Was succeeded by Hendrik Verwoerd as head of the NP, securing the radical faction's drive towards a complete break with Britain and abolition of the Union in 1961 . Strijdom is interred in the Heroes' Acre , a cemetery in Pretoria . Strijdom was nicknamed "The Lion of the North", because of his aggression and forthrightness. Strijdom married the actress Margaretha van Hulsteyn in 1924, but they divorced within