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39-436: On 4 January 1974, Harry Schwarz, Transvaal leader of the official opposition United Party , met and had discussions with Gatsha (later Mangosuthu) Buthelezi, Chief Executive Councillor of the black homeland of KwaZulu . They jointly issued a document, which stated that "the situation of South Africa in the world scene as well as internal community relations requires, in our view, an acceptance of certain fundamental concepts for

78-488: A "faith in a South Africa offering equal opportunities, happiness, security, and peace for all its peoples." It called for negotiations involving all peoples, in order to draw up constitutional proposals stressing opportunity for all with a Bill of Rights to safeguard these rights. It suggested that the federal concept was the appropriate framework for such changes to take place. It also first affirmed that political change must take place through non-violent means. The concept of

117-609: A breakthrough in race relations in South Africa and drew much media interest both inside and outside South Africa. Shortly after the declaration was issued, several chief ministers of the black homelands, including Cedric Phatudi ( Lebowa ), Lucas Mangope ( Bophuthatswana ) and Prof HWE Ntsanwisi ( Gazankulu ), met in Cape Town. The leaders announced to the press that they fully supported the declaration. In February 1974, Prime Minister of Swaziland Makhosini Dlamini praised

156-480: A document which had been jointly signed by acknowledged black and white political leaders in South Africa. The declaration, however provoked an angry response from the conservative "Old Guard" in the party, including the party's leader. In 1975 Harry Schwarz and three other Members of Parliament (MPs) were expelled from the United Party. Further resignations followed, which included two senators, ten members of

195-422: A first step a consultative council representative of all groups in South Africa should be constituted at the earliest opportunity. 4. The federal concept appears to provide the best framework on which to seek a constitutional solution for a South Africa free from domination by any group over others and ensuring the security of all its people. 5. Any constitutional proposals for South Africans must: (i) Safeguard

234-729: A non-discriminatory society had been outlined in the 'Act of Dedication' of 1973 that Schwarz had written, while Leader of the Opposition in the Transvaal . Schwarz had called for the Transvaal and South Africa to adopt and subscribe to the act. While the United Party Transvaal caucus unanimously adopted the initiative, the National Party refused for it to come to debate. The principles of the act were adopted at

273-513: A position it still holds today as Gauteng Province. In 1994, after the fall of apartheid , the former provinces were abolished, and the Transvaal ceased to exist. The south-central portion (including the PWV) became Gauteng , the northern portion became Limpopo and the southeastern portion became Mpumalanga . Most of the North West came from the southwestern portion of the old Transvaal, and

312-587: A speech to Parliament in which he announced a general election for 24 April 1974. Speaking of the Declaration, Vorster said: "As far as Chief Buthelezi is concerned, I want to say at once that he is only one of eight chiefs. I regret the fact, because it could easily be misunderstood in the outside world, that some people and some newspapers adopt the attitude that he is the only Bantu leader in South Africa. As far as I am concerned, I want to make it very clear that I have respect for him in his capacity as leader of

351-592: A tiny segment of the Transvaal joined KwaZulu-Natal . Even before 1994, the Transvaal Province was subdivided into regions for a number of purposes (such as municipal and district courts, and sporting divisions). These divisions included Northern Transvaal (present-day Limpopo and Pretoria), Eastern Transvaal (currently Mpumalanga ), Western Transvaal (currently part of North West Province ) and Southern Transvaal (now Gauteng Province, but which also includes Pretoria). The Transvaal province lay between

390-421: A war that Hertzog claimed was essentially a European affair. The majority of the United Party caucus were of a different mind, however, and Hertzog resigned. Smuts succeeded him and led the party and the country throughout World War II and the immediate post-war years. Smuts and the United Party lost the 1948 election to the National Party. It never held power again. J. G. N. Strauss succeeded Smuts in 1950, and

429-680: The Golden Lions (formerly Transvaal ) formed in 1889. The Orlando Pirates Football Club was founded in 1937 and was originally based in Orlando, Soweto and Kaizer Chiefs were founded in January 1970. In the same year, Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. originated from Marabastad, a cosmopolitan area north west of the Pretoria CBD in the early 1960s. Cricket teams from the former Transvaal include Transvaal (later Gauteng ) which represented

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468-475: The Progressive Party , which was formed in 1959 by liberal former UP members that sought a stronger opposition to apartheid. Despite this, the party remained relatively stable until the 1970s. There was much division in the party, between liberals and conservatives . Divisions came to a head in 1972 when Harry Schwarz , leader of the liberal "Young Turks" within the party, wrestled the leadership of

507-719: The Progressive Reform Party (PRP). In 1977, after merging with the Democratic Party , which had been formed by moderate NP dissidents, the United Party was renamed the New Republic Party . A significant number of its parliamentarians refused to remain with the renamed party. Some joined the anti-apartheid PRP (now called the Progressive Federal Party ). Six MPs were expelled from the United Party for refusing to accept

546-783: The Vaal River in the south, and the Limpopo River in the north, roughly between 22 + 1 ⁄ 2 and 27 + 1 ⁄ 2 S, and 25 and 32 E. To its south it bordered with the Orange Free State and Natal provinces, to its west were the Cape Province and the Bechuanaland Protectorate (later Botswana ), to its north Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe ), and to its east Portuguese East Africa (later Mozambique ) and Swaziland . Except on

585-409: The 1973 National United Party Congress. The declaration was the first of its kind, in that it laid down the concept of a peaceful solution to South Africa's problems. The declaration took place during a period when virtually no formal or informal political contact existed between black and white groups. Political figures such as Alan Paton praised the declaration. The agreement was heralded by many as

624-487: The English speaking press, the declaration drew much criticism from the establishment of Harry Schwarz's United Party. Schwarz, who had recently deposed the more conservative Marais Steyn from the leadership of the United Party in the Transvaal , was a controversial figure in the party for his outspoken views against apartheid and was known as the leader of the liberal 'Young Turks' within the party. In 1975 divisions over

663-650: The Mahlabatini Declaration manifested in several 'Young Turks', including Schwarz, being expelled from the party, by leader Sir de Villiers Graaff . The members who were either expelled or resigned, formed the Reform Party , with Schwarz as its leader. In July 1975, the Reform Party merged with the Progressive Party , which eventually became the Progressive Federal Party in 1977. This proved to realign opposition politics in South Africa, with

702-669: The NRP was in decline and its base absorbed by parties formed by NP dissidents; these merged with the PFP in 1989 to form the Democratic Party which is now the Democratic Alliance , thus reuniting the currents that originated in the United Party. Transvaal Province The Province of the Transvaal ( Afrikaans : Provinsie van Transvaal ), commonly referred to as the Transvaal ( / ˈ t r ɑː n s v ɑː l , ˈ t r æ n s -/ ; Afrikaans: [ˈtransfɑːl] ),

741-705: The South African landscape. Districts of the province and population at the 1991 census. The province was divided into a number of sporting teams. These teams were renamed after the Transvaal became defunct, however their traditional territories have remained unchanged in many cases, even though they overlap the boundaries of the Transvaal's successor provinces. Examples of this include the Blue Bulls (formerly Northern Transvaal ), which governs rugby in Pretoria (now part of Gauteng) and Limpopo Province, and

780-578: The Transvaal Provincial Council, 14 out of the 36 Johannesburg City Councillors and four Randburg City Councillors. This made it the official opposition in the Transvaal Provincial Council. They formed the Reform Party which elected Schwarz as leader. Schwarz's breakaway led to the demise of the United Party and realigned opposition politics in South Africa. The Reform Party soon merged with the Progressive Party to form

819-517: The UP lost the 1948 election was its lack of commitment to a clear policy on race relations. This stood in contrast to the National Party, which was firmly and unequivocally behind the notion of preserving white supremacy at all costs. The UP was against apartheid as a system, but also favoured the continuation of white minority rule , akin to the political arrangements in Rhodesia at the time. During

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858-502: The Zulus. However, I have as much respect for the other leaders of the other Bantu peoples in South Africa. I want to go further - I am not doing him any injustice when I say this - by pointing out that some of the other Bantu leaders probably have more experience of public life than Chief Buthelezi has. Furthermore, I think that some of them are probably more careful when making statements." Despite considerable support from black leaders and

897-408: The best approach to them. Smuts himself alluded to the fact that at some unspecified point in the future, black South Africans might be asked to share power with the white minority, provided black politicians demonstrated their commitment to 'civilised' norms of political and personal conduct. Generally, though, the UP seemed to have little difficulty in tacitly supporting apartheid . One of the reasons

936-403: The best way of uniting the people to meet such threats was to give them a real stake in the society which they were asked to defend. Days after the declaration, Die Vaderland, an ardent Nationalist Afrikaans newspaper, mocked Schwarz and Buthelezi calling them the "heroes of Mahlabatini". On 4 February 1974, Prime Minister B. J. Vorster of the National Party commented on the declaration during

975-601: The bulk of the old South African Republic after the Second Boer War , became the Transvaal Province in the new union. Half a century later, in 1961, the union ceased to be part of the Commonwealth of Nations and became the Republic of South Africa . The PWV (Pretoria- Witwatersrand - Vereeniging ) conurbation in the Transvaal, centred on Pretoria and Johannesburg , became South Africa's economic powerhouse,

1014-496: The declaration as inspiration to South Africans "across the color line" and as an example of effectiveness in working for his people within the framework of the law. In March 1974 Chief Phatudi, Harry Schwarz and M. I. Mitchell (United Party MP), had discussions at Sheshego . They issued a joint statement, endorsing the principles embodied in the Mahlabatini Declaration. It also stated that all South Africans must be united to meet any external threats, subversion, or terrorism, and that

1053-647: The demise of the United Party as the PFP became the main opposition party, following the 1977 general election. The situation of South Africa in the world scene as well as internal community relations requires in our view an acceptance of certain fundamental concept for the economic social and constitutional development of our country. We respectfully record five principles on the basis of which we believe all our people can co-operate. 1. Change in South Africa must be brought about by peaceful means. 2. Opportunity must be afforded to all our people for material and educational advancement. The economy must be available to serve

1092-407: The economic, social and constitutional development of our country". It was intended for these core concepts to be the foundations for negotiations involving all in South Africa. Both leaders were acting in personal capacities. The declaration's purpose was to provide a blueprint for government of South Africa for racial peace in South Africa. On the basis of five principles, the declaration declared

1131-568: The establishment of a republic in the whites-only referendum held on 5 October 1960. By the late 1970s, the breakaway and successor groups of the United Party – the Progressive Federal Party, New Republic Party and South African Party – were more or less committed to a multiracial federation as a solution to the racial question. The ruling National Party's reform program under PW Botha initially attracted some liberal support while provoking divisions within its ranks. By 1987,

1170-427: The identity and culture of the various groups constituting the people of South Africa. (ii) Include a bill of rights to safeguard the fundamental concepts of natural justice. On the basis of these principles we declare our faith in a South Africa of equal opportunity, happiness, security and peace for all its people. United Party (South Africa) The United Party was a political party in South Africa. It

1209-404: The late 1960s, the party tried to gain support by its resistance to the National Party's politics on giving land to the bantustans , insisting on a single citizenship for all South Africans. By the 1970s, the UP advocated federalism and a gradual retreat from official segregation and discrimination. The party supported links with the Commonwealth of Nations , and unsuccessfully campaigned against

Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith - Misplaced Pages Continue

1248-418: The needs of all able and willing to contribute, and the wealth, labour and expertise of our country should be harnessed to provide job and entrepreneurial opportunity for all groups. 3. Constitutions, blue prints and plans for the future should not be made by only some of the people for all others, they must be made with people. Consultation and dialogue lead to government by consent and with this in mind and as

1287-523: The party in the Transvaal from Marais Steyn. His victory was a visible sign of strength from the liberals within the party. On 4 January 1974, he met with Mangosuthu Buthelezi and signed a five-point plan for racial peace in South Africa, which came to be known as the Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith. It was the first occasion in apartheid South Africa's history where the principles of peaceful transition and equality had been enshrined in

1326-529: The party until 1939, when he refused to commit South Africa to the British Empire's war effort against Nazi Germany after World War II broke out. Most Afrikaners were hostile to the British and sympathetic towards Nazi Germany, and Hertzog felt that supporting Britain during the conflict would be unacceptable to Afrikaner opinion. He also claimed to not see much benefit for South Africa taking part in

1365-579: The plan to form the NRP and formed the South African Party which joined the ruling National Party three years later. Elections in late 1977 left the New Republic Party gutted, with only 10 parliamentary seats, down from the 41 held by the United Party. The UP's position on race relations in South Africa was a complex one; while the UP was more liberal in character than the National Party, it never clearly articulated its views on

1404-537: The south-west, these borders were mostly well defined by natural features. Several Bantustans were entirely inside the Transvaal: Venda , KwaNdebele , Gazankulu , KaNgwane and Lebowa . Parts of Bophuthatswana were also in the Transvaal, with other parts in Cape Province and Orange Free State . Within the Transvaal lies the Waterberg Massif , a prominent ancient geological feature of

1443-485: Was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994, when a new constitution subdivided it following the end of apartheid . The name "Transvaal" refers to the province's geographical location to the north of the Vaal River . Its capital was Pretoria , which was also the country's executive capital. In 1910, four British colonies united to form the Union of South Africa . The Transvaal Colony , which had been formed out of

1482-414: Was in turn replaced by Sir de Villiers Graaff in 1956 until 1977. Attrition characterised his leadership years, as the party slowly declined because of electoral gerrymandering , changes to South Africa's voting laws, including the removal of the ' Coloureds ' – South Africans of mixed ancestry, who had been staunch United Party supporters – from the electoral rolls, and defections to other parties such as

1521-695: Was the country's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. The United Party was formed by a merger of the majority of Prime Minister J. B. M. Hertzog 's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts , along with remnants of the Unionist Party . Its full name was the United National South African Party , but it was generally called the "United Party". The party drew support from several different parts of South African society, including white English-speakers, Afrikaners and Coloureds . Hertzog led

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