James Hertzog

Born Apr. 3, 1866, in Wellington; died Nov. 21, 1942, in Pretoria. Statesman of the Union of South Africa.

During 1913-14, Hertzog founded the National Party, which expressed the interests of the large landowners and the newly formed Boer bourgeoisie. He was prime minister from 1924 to 1939. Hertzog’s government pursued a policy of racial discrimination and suppression of the liberation struggle of the African population. It adopted laws on “civilized labor,” taxation of the Bantus, and the “color barrier” in industry, as well as a number of other racist laws. In 1933, Hertzog became one of the leaders of the United Party, which was established as a result of the merger of part of the National Party with Smuts’ South African Party. After the beginning of World War II he spoke out against the alliance of the Union of South Africa with the powers that were at war with fascist Germany. The profascist demand for “neutrality” of the Union of South Africa advanced by Hertzog was rejected by a majority of the parliament. Hertzog and his supporters left the United Party.