1924
- 1948: South African Foreign Relations
Department of Foreign Affairs
| GRADE LEVEL | THEME | TOPIC | DURATION |
| 12 | SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY | 1924 -1948: SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN RELATIONS | x LESSONS |
1924
- 1948: South African Foreign Relations |
South Africa became a union in 1910, determined to have autonomy in its internal affairs. As a colony however, its foreign affairs remained under Britain. In 1926 the Balfour Declaration was passed in London, giving South Africa power to decide its own foreign affairs. According to the declaration, Britain and all its dominions would now be autonomous communities within the British Empire; each equal in status and none subordinate to another. Each could manage its own internal and external affairs. They would be united by their loyalty to the British Crown and bound to each other as members of a British Commonwealth of Nations. There would still be a Governor-General representing the Crown in South Africa, and from then on the two countries would each also send a High Commissioner (like an ambassador) to the other. The declaration led to the founding of South Africa’s own Department of Foreign Affairs in 1927 with J.B.M. Hertzog as Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1929 the first ambassadors were sent overseas, to The Hague (in the Netherlands), Washington (USA) and Rome (Italy) and by 1934 South Africa had diplomatic links with most of the European countries. Trade commissions were also established across Europe and the USA. For more information on the Balfour Declaration of 1926, go to Relations with the League of Nations After the First World War, in 1920, the League of Nations was established to resolve conflicts and international disputes. General Jan Smuts played an important role in the formation of the League. He wrote a pamphlet called ‘The League of Nations: A Practical Suggestion’, much of which could be seen in the features of the League. When South Africa took charge of its external affairs, it was able to send representatives to the League of Nations. Charles te Water (High Commissioner in London from 1929–1939) and E.H. Louw (South African representative in London, Washington, Rome and Paris from 1929 – 1937) were the first representatives at the League’s headquarters in Geneva. Both Generals Smuts and Hertzog supported the League of Nations and were optimistic about its success. Hertzog was never transparent about his foreign policy, often not sharing it with his Cabinet. Smuts never attended League sessions in Geneva, although he maintained contact with important world leaders. Louw and Te Water therefore provided an important voice for South Africa at League meetings. By 1936 South Africa began losing faith in the capacity of the League to uphold world peace. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the League was disbanded and at the end of the War was replaced by the United Nations Organisation (UNO or UN). General JC Smuts (left) and General JBM Hertzog. The League of Nations had not pressured the South African government about its segregationist policies. The UN took a different position. Before the Second World War, colonialism in Africa and Asia was still largely in place. South Africa was therefore not the only League member that followed segregationist policies. After the War, the political climate changed and the Western world began criticising racial segregation. The League had also been soft about South Africa’s refusal to hand over its mandate of South West Africa. This later became a contentious issue between South Africa and the UN. (Read about this under ’The control of S.W.A/Namibia and the UNO’.) For the League of Nations Covenant, outlining the organisations principles,
go to Learning Outcome: Gathering, analysing, interpreting and evaluating relevant evidence to answer questions. Read the following extract from the League of Nations Covenant, then answer the questions.
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