First Cabinet of Jan Smuts

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Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1928).svg
3rd Cabinet of Union of South Africa
(since 1909 South Africa Act)
1920
Picture of Jan Christiaan Smuts.jpg
Jan Smuts (c. 1918)
Date formed20 March 1920 (1920-03-20)
Date dissolved8 February 1921 (1921-02-08)
People and organisations
Head of stateKing George V (represented by The Viscount Buxton, later Prince Arthur of Connaught)
Head of governmentJan Smuts
No. of ministers7
Member partySouth African Party
Status in legislatureMajority
Opposition partyNational Party
Opposition leaderJ. B. M. Hertzog
History
Election(s)1920
Legislature term(s)10 months and 19 days
PredecessorBotha II
SuccessorSmuts II

Gen. Jan Smuts became Prime Minister, after Louis Botha's death in September 1919. In the general election of 1920, with 134 seats elected to the lower house, the South African Party led by Jan Smuts was ahead by three seats against the National Party (44 seats). Both parties then found themselves forced to form alliances with third parties (unionists and labour) to form the new government. The South African Party was quick to form an alliance with the pro-British Unionist Party (25 seats) and Jan Smuts was reappointed prime minister. Shortly after in the same year, the Unionists agreed to join the South African Party and early general elections were held in February 1921.

Cabinet[]

Post Minister Term Party
Prime Minister Picture of Jan Christiaan Smuts.jpg Gen. Jan Smuts 1919 SAP
Minister of Native Affairs
Minister of Agriculture
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. F.S. Malan MP
1920 1921 SAP
Minister of Defence
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Hendrik Mentz MP
1919 SAP
Minister of Education
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. F.S. Malan MP
1910 1921 SAP
Minister of Finance
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Henry Burton MP
1920 SAP
Minister of Public Health
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Thomas Watt MP
1919 1921 SAP
Minister of Interior Affairs
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Thomas Watt MP
1919 1921 SAP
Minister of Justice
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Nicolaas de Wet MP
1913 SAP
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Hendrik Mentz MP
1916 1921 SAP
Minister of Mines and Industry
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. F.S. Malan MP
1912 SAP
Minister of Posts and Telegraphs James Graaff.png The Hon. Jacobus Arnoldus Graaff MP 1920 1921 SAP
Minister of Public Works James Graaff.png The Hon. Jacobus Arnoldus Graaff MP 1920 1921 SAP
Minister of Railways and Harbours
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
The Hon. Henry Burton MP
1912 1921 SAP

Sources[]

  • "Geocities – South Africa". Geocities (Web Archive). Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
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