A Set-Back for Apartheid
Anyone who views with misgiving and concern the native policy of Dr. Malan's Government in South Africa—and there are few persons in this country who do not—will welcome unreservedly the veto which Mr. Havenga, the leader of the Afrikaner section of the Cabinet, has in effect placed on the proposal to apply the apartheid policy forthwith. What Dr. Malan intended was to restrict the native franchise, already pitifully limited, in two respects. At present, though natives cannot sit in the Union House of Assembly they are specially represented there (and also in the Senate) by European representatives for whom they vote. Dr. Malan proposed to abolish that arrangement so far as the Assembly is concerned. In the Cape Province, coloured voters, if duly qualified, appear on the common voters roll, though they cannot sit in the Provincial Assembly. Dr. Malan proposed to remove them from the common roll altogether (thus reducing their influence substantially) and give them instead separate representation by three European Members in the Assembly. This is plainly a moral, and possibly enough a technical, breach of the provision in the South African constitution that any changes in the non-European franchise must be carried by a majority of two-thirds in the two Houses in joint session. Mr. Havenga, without whose supporters Dr. Malan can carry nothing
through the Assembly, has most rightly taken his stand on this, with the result that Dr. Malan has had to announce that he will not proceed with his proposals during this session of Parliament, which is generally held to mean during this Parliament at all. Mr. Havenga is to be congratulated on his effective defence of justice and honour.
