The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place

Date: 16 Apr 1958
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The last general election of the Union of South Africa before it became a Republic on 31 May 1961, was held with the National Party (NP) under Adv J.G. Strijdom, registering a victory. The NP managed to secure 103 seats, its greatest electoral victory up to that time, while the seats of the United Party, though under the new leadership of Adv. J.G.N. Strauss, decreased from 57 to 53.

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01Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau. Muller, C.F.J. (ed)(1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 475.
02Horrel, M., A Survey of Race Relations in South Africa, from Nelson Mandela Centre for Memory, [online], Available at www.nelsonmandela.org [Accessed: 16 April 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011848

South African History Online (2011) 'The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011848 (Accessed: 14 August 2026).

South African History Online, The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011848, (accessed 14 August 2026).

"The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011848. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011848.