South African general election, 1943

← 1938

7 July 1943 (1943-07-07)

1948 →

All 150 general roll seats in the House of Assembly

	First party	Second party

Leader	Jan Smuts	D. F. Malan
Party	United	Reunited National
Last election	111 seats	27 seats
Seats won	89	43
Seat change	22	16
Popular vote	435,297	321,601
Percentage	49.68%	36.70%
Swing	4.13%	5.39%

House of Assembly after the election

Prime Minister before election

Jan Smuts
United

Elected Prime Minister

Jan Smuts
United

The 1943 South African general election was held on 7 July to elect the 150 seats in the parliament of the Union of South Africa. The United Party of Jan Smuts won an absolute majority over its opponents in the House of Assembly.

Although the United Party was victorious, special wartime circumstances (for example, soldiers on active service were allowed to vote) and Smuts’s status as an international statesman probably exaggerated the depth and level of attachment to the United Party.

The election might also have understated Afrikaner support for nationalist policies, as many newly urbanised Afrikaners had not registered as voters. In addition, the infighting between the various Afrikaner political factions had a negative impact on their support during the election. However, this election was the beginning of the rise of DF Malan as the dominant spokesman for Afrikanerdom, which would come to fruition in the 1948 South African general election.

There were significant changes to the South African party system, during the 1938-1943 Parliament.

The United Party split in 1939, over the issue of South Africa's participation in the Second World War. The Prime Minister since 1924, General J. B. M. Hertzog, advocated neutrality. The then Deputy Prime Minister, General Jan Smuts, supported South African involvement in the war. The cabinet were evenly split on the issue, which had to be resolved by a Parliamentary vote.

General Smuts won the vote in the House of Assembly. He was then called upon to form a government. A wartime coalition ministry was appointed. The Smuts cabinet included pro-war members of the United Party, as well as the leaders of the Dominion and Labour parties.

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