Wikipedia

Bezuidenhout (House of Assembly of South Africa constituency)

Bezuidenhout was a constituency in the Transvaal Province of South Africa, which existed from 1915 to 1994. It covered parts of the inner eastern suburbs of Johannesburg, centred on the suburb of Bezuidenhout Valley. Throughout its existence it elected one member to the House of Assembly and one to the Transvaal Provincial Council.

Bezuidenhout
Former constituency
for the South African House of Assembly
Outline map
Location of Bezuidenhout within Johannesburg (1915)
ProvinceTransvaal
Electorate21,310 (1989)
Former constituency
Created1915
Abolished1994
Number of members1
Last MHA  (DP)
Replaced byGauteng

Franchise notes

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When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, the electoral qualifications in use in each pre-existing colony were kept in place. In the Transvaal Colony, and its predecessor the South African Republic, the vote was restricted to white men, and as such, elections in the Transvaal Province were held on a whites-only franchise from the beginning. The franchise was also restricted by property and education qualifications until the 1933 general election, following the passage of the Women's Enfranchisement Act, 1930 and the Franchise Laws Amendment Act, 1931. From then on, the franchise was given to all white citizens aged 21 or over. Non-whites remained disenfranchised until the end of apartheid and the introduction of universal suffrage in 1994.[1]

History

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Bezuidenhout was created in 1915, largely out of the abolished seat of Jeppes, and was closely fought between the Labour and Unionist (later South African) parties throughout its early history. In its first election, Unionist candidate L. Blackwell narrowly defeated Labour leader Frederic Creswell, and after a short-lived Labour victory in 1920, the seat was retaken by Blackwell for the SAP, which (along with its descendants) would hold it for nearly the entire rest of its existence. Its MP from 1961 until 1981 was Japie Basson, who was noted for his colourful personality and frequent changes in party affiliation. After being expelled from the Progressive Federal Party for supporting P. W. Botha’s constitutional reforms, Basson left the House of Assembly in 1981, but the seat stayed with the PFP. In 1987, along with several other Johannesburg seats, it fell to the Nationals, but the newly-founded Democratic Party regained it in 1989 and held it until the end of apartheid.

Members

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Election Member Party
1915 L. Blackwell Unionist
1920 W. J. McIntyre Labour
1921 L. Blackwell SAP
1924
1929
1933 H. A. Tothill
1938 United Party
1943
1948 member unknown
1953
1958
1961 Japie Basson National Union
1962 United Party
1966
1970
1974
1977 PFP
1981 R. Sive
1987 H. J. Bekker National Party
1989 G. C. Engel Democratic Party
1994 Constituency abolished

[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Detailed results

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Elections in the 1910s

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General election 1915: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist L. Blackwell 1,165 44.7 New
Labour Frederic Creswell 1,152 44.2 New
National J. H. L. Schuman 289 11.1 New
Majority 13 0.5 N/A
Turnout 2,606 78.1 N/A
Unionist win (new seat)

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1920: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. J. McIntyre 1,031 49.7 5.5
Unionist L. Blackwell 810 39.0 −5.7
National E. C. O. du Plooy 231 11.1 0.0
Majority 851 10.7 10.2
Turnout 2,072 67.6 −10.5
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 5.6
General election 1921: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
South African L. Blackwell 1,222 57.8 18.8
Labour W. J. McIntyre 892 42.2 −7.5
Majority 230 15.6 4.9
Turnout 2,114 66.3 −1.3
South African gain from Labour Swing 5.7
General election 1924: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
South African L. Blackwell 1,388 52.4 18.8
Labour W. J. McIntyre 1,261 47.6 −7.5
Majority 127 4.8 −10.8
Turnout 2,649 81.4 15.1
South African hold Swing -5.4
General election 1929: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
South African L. Blackwell 1,580 63.1 18.8
Labour C. H. Hayward 925 36.9 −7.5
Majority 655 26.2 21.4
Turnout 2,505 79.3 −2.1
South African hold Swing 10.7

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 193: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
South African H. A. Tothill 2,249 57.5 −5.6
Roos G. Krogh 1,075 27.5 New
Labour A. Hattingh 585 15.0 −21.9
Majority 127 30.0 N/A
Turnout 3,909 60.0 −19.3
South African hold Swing N/A
General election 1938: Bezuidenhout [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United H. A. Tothill 3,867 68.2 10.7
Dominion candidate unknown 1,134 20.0 New
Labour candidate unknown 668 11.8 −3.2
Majority 2,733 48.2 N/A
Turnout 5,669
United hold Swing N/A

References

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  1. ^ "EISA South Africa: Historical franchise arrangements". Eisa.org.za. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Schoeman, B.M. (1977). Parlementêre verkiesings in Suid-Afrika 1910-1976. Pretoria: Aktuele Publikasies.
  3. ^ South Africa 1980/81: Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa. Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications.
  4. ^ South Africa 1983: Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa. Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications.
  5. ^ Government Gazette of South Africa, No. 10751. 22 May 1987. Pretoria: Government of South Africa.
  6. ^ Government Gazette of South Africa, No. 12109. 20 September 1989. Pretoria: Government of South Africa.

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