Second Jan Smuts government

Second Smuts ministry
4th Cabinet of the Union of South Africa
Date formed	5 September 1939
Date dissolved	1948
People and organisations
Head of state	George VI
Head of government	Jan Smuts
Member party	United Party Dominion Party Labour Party
Opposition party	Purified National Party (1939–1940) Herenigde Nasionale Party (1940–1948)
Opposition leader	Daniel François Malan (1939–1940) J. B. M. Hertzog (1940) Daniel François Malan (1940–1948)
History
Election	1943
Predecessor	J. B. M. Hertzog government
Successor	Daniel François Malan government

Jan Smuts became South African Prime Minister for the second time in 1939, following a split in the United Party. He appointed members of the United Party, Dominion Party and Labour Party to positions in his Cabinet.

Ministers

First Smuts Cabinet

The 1938 general election was won by the United Party, giving J. B. M. Hertzog a fourth consecutive term. In September 1939, the United Party was divided between supporters of Hertzog and those of his Justice Minister Jan Smuts. The split resulted from differences between supporters of neutrality in World War II and those who wanted South Africa to follow the United Kingdom and declare war against Nazi Germany. Finally, Hertzog was outvoted within the United Party and Parliament. He resigned his post as prime minister, allowing Jan Smuts to form a new government in coalition with the Dominion Party and Labour Party.

Party key		United Party
		Dominion Party
		Labour Party

Office	Name		Dates
Prime Minister		Jan Smuts	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Defence
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry		William Richard Collins	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Commerce and Industry		Richard Stuttaford	5 September 1939 – 1941
Minister of Commerce and Industry		Sidney Frank Waterson	1941 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Education		Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Finance
Minister of the Interior		Harry Lawrence	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Public Health
Minister of Justice		Colin Fraser Steyn	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Labour		Walter Bayley Madeley	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Social Affairs
Minister of Lands		Andrew Meintjes Conroy	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Mines		Charles Stallard	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Native Affairs		Deneys Reitz	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Posts and Telegraphs		Charles Francis Clarkson	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister of Railways and Harbours		Frederick Claud Sturrock	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943
Minister without portfolio		Pieter Voltelyn Graham van der Byl	5 September 1939 – 7 July 1943

^[1]

See also

• Prime Minister of South Africa

References

1. "South Africa". www.geocities.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2022.