HERTZOG'S PLAN FOR IMMIGRATIONOver a month after his election, PM Hertzog has already confirmed the formation of an extensive immigration scheme, a key concern of many voters. This programme, developed by Interior Affairs Minister Malan, is aimed towards providing new homes to white settlers fleeing uncertain or dangerous situations abroad. Those eligible, aligned with the original proposal, are mostly ethnic Germans, including settlers from the former colonies and the territories ceded to Poland but also from the Republic proper seeking to escape the uncertain situation.
White settlers eligible
By Luca Wessel
This piece of legislature is a breakthrough for the National Party, as Afrikaner groups for decades have been the most powerful impediments to immigration. Much of this was due to fear of diluting their unique ethnic identity. However, cultural and political similarities between Germans and Afrikaners has ignited a close cooperation between the two groups, especially with the annexation of South-West Africa.
The most recent addition to this immigration plan, and, notably, the one that allowed for it passing the legislature, was the expansion of eligibility to all white settlers in Africa. With the Treaty of Dahomey in the League of Peace seeking to relegate these people to second-class citizens in their own home, the programme is to provide an escape route for all regardless of ethnicity, whether they be French, British, or Italian.
Although passing through the legislature, the proposal faced heavy opposition from South African Party MPs, with Smuts being one of its more vocal critics. Some called it "a shameless power grab" by the NP-Labour government. In the Cape, where the SAP outperformed expectations although faltering nationally, party leaders threatened to loosen franchise restrictions even further than planned, although this sentiment was not echoed elsewhere.