Hendrik Verwoerd becomes Prime Minister

Hendrik  Frensch Verwoerd assumed office as the Prime Minister of South Africa after the death of J.G. Strijdom.  An ardent advocate of Apartheid, Verwoerd firmly believed that races should be kept apart and each race should develop along its own lines. Consequently, under his leadership parliament ratified the Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act in 1959. The Act classified black people into eight ethnic groups, each with its own separate homeland.   Two years after taking office, Verwoerd realised his republican dream, when a White-only referendum supported his plea for a republic. This was also the first time in 12 years of government that the NP was able to gain a majority in parliament. Given this mandate Verwoerd went to London in March 1961 to give formal notice to the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers that South Africa was changing from a monarchy to a republic and to argue his case to remain within the British Commonwealth. This request for a constitutional change would normally have been granted, but because of South Africa's Apartheid policy, it was vehemently opposed. Verwoerd then withdrew his application for membership of the Commonwealth. On 31 May 1961, the Republic of South Africa was established, but within a few years, because of its Apartheid policy, South Africa had become an isolated nation. Verwoerd was stabbed and killed by Demetrio Tsafendas on his bench in the House of Assembly on 6 September 1966. In 2007, a road named after Hendrik Verwoerd in Randburg Johannesburg was renamed Bram Fischer Drive.