Hertzog and Smuts to form a coalition

Nationalists were stunned by the announcement of seven points according to which Gen. J.B.M. Hertzog was willing to cooperate with Gen. J.C. Smuts to form a coalition. Dr. D.F. Malan strongly opposed moves to form a coalition between the National Party (NP) and the South African Party of Jan Smuts in 1933, and rejected the resulting 'fusion' government formed in 1934. The two leaders agreed on 23 February to form a coalition after Smuts had surrendered his principles on the issue of the African vote in the Cape Province. He argued at first that it should not be tampered with while the coalition lasted, and finally agreed to the separate political representation of White and Black and the retention of the civilised labour policy. Afrikaner nationalism and African rights had been sacrificed to the golden calf, scoffed Hertzog's critics in his own ranks.