First Cabinet of Jan Smuts

Prime MinisterJan SmutsMember partySouth African PartyStatus in legislatureMajorityOpposition partyNational PartyOpposition leaderBarry HertzogHistoryElection1920 electionLegislature terms10 months and 19 daysPredecessorBotha IISuccessorSmuts 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 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
Minister of Lands and Irrigation
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 The Hon. Jacobus Graaff MP 1920 1921 SAP
Minister of Public Works The Hon. Jacobus 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.

External links

  • Media related to First Cabinet of Jan Smuts at Wikimedia Commons