Synopsis: This is a short informative article announcing the win of D.F. Malan in the 1953 elections


Article 8

Malan Gets Smashing Victory in Africa Vote

Segregation To Go Ahead

Climax to the series of analytical articles written for The Vancouver Sun by Jack Scot came today with the long-awaited South African election. Here is Scott's report on Malan's smashing victory. 

Vancouver Sun, April 16, 1953

CAPETOWN, South Africa. – Premier Daniel F. Malan today has the 'volskwil' (will of the people) of this troubled country safely in his pocket, and South Africa is set to go ahead with its perilous adventure in complete segregation of whites and blacks. 

His Nationalist Party ruled up impressive gains in Tuesday's nation-wide "white only" general election. 

His opposition is not conceding him complete victory, possibly with a double majority in parliament. 

Top officials of the J.G.N Strauss' United Party (the old Jan Smuts followers) today took their stunning loss with the glum recognition that Malan's majority will be enough to snow them under. 

Party standings at 4:30pm here today were: Nationalists, 40; United Party 47; Labor Party, 4; undecided 65. 

But that doesn't tell the significant story. 

The Nationalists have won 16 out of 19 key seats in the 159-member lower house that they must have for an overall majority. 

Malan's men are conceded certain to win the bulk of the undecided while the United Party can count only comparatively few for their candidates. 

Cities Anti-Malan 

The United party's apparently impressive total in the early counting shows its strength in the cities, but the polls still to be heard from officially are out in the hinterland where Malan's massive strength has, as predicted, shaken off any attacks. 

The Nationalists are jubilant. Leaders of the United Party freely predict Malan now will move to take over much of the power of the courts (which have turned down flatly several of Malan's apartheid moves), and seek republic status for South Africa. 

While the official results are for from complete, the English language newspapers are conceding that Malan's position is stronger than ever. 

"Apartheid (complete segregation of the Europeans and the non-Europeans) is here to stay, for good or for evil," they comment. 

The election results were received here with no visible interest by the native population whatsoever. 

There was no trouble of any kind. 

There wasn't even any immediate official comment from anti-apartheid headquarters, which have been carefully and delicately under wraps throughout the entire election. 

New Resistance

One official of the African National Congress forecast, however, that the results of Wednesday's voting will lead to new unity on the part of non-whites and a new era of organized resistance. 

There was no doubt that in the comparatively short history of the Union of South Africa this was the most momentous election. 

Battle of Votes

It was fought at the polls between one and a half million white voters who will rule the country which holds eight million Bantus, and another two and a half million "Coloreds" and asiatics. 

The Asiatics and mixed-blood population will vote later for three white men who will represent them in the  house of assembly. 

Malan's majority in the old house was 13. This time it maybe be anything from 20 upwards to 26 or so. 

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