Malan Ensures S. African Coalition

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1948, Page 4

Malan Ensures S. African Coalition

PRETORIA, Thu. (12.20 a.m.).—The new Prime Minister of South Africa (Dr Malan) formed his Cabinet today. It will be sworn in tomorrow. _ Dr Malan becomes Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs

He has made the leader of Havenga) Minister of Finance.

the Afrikaner Party (Mr N. C

This will ensure a NationalistAfrikaaner coalition, commanding 79 votes in the House of 153. Other Ministers, all of whom are members of Dr. Malan’s party, arc Messrs E. G. Jansen, Native Affairs; J. G. Strydom, Lands; (?. R. Swart, Justice; P. O. Sauer, Transport; A. J-. Stals, Health, Education and Social Welfare; E. H. Louw, Economic Development and Mines; Dr. T. E. Donges, Interior and Posts and Telegraphs; Messrs S. P. Le Rouz, Agriculture and Forestry; F. C. Erasmus, Defence; B. J. Schoeman, Labour and Public Works. HERTZOG’S SUCCESSOR It was announced officially that the Minister of Agriculture would control food,, the Minister of Social Welfare would control demobilisation and' the Minister of Defence control aviation. Mr Havenga has led the Afrikaaner Party since the death of his life-long friend (General Hertzog) in 1942. He is one of the few new ministers with Cabinet experience. MODERATE TREND Political observers regard the fact that Dr. Malan gave Cabinet seats to seven Nationalists from Cape Province as evidence that he intends to adopt a moderate course in international relations. Indications are that Dr. Malan will concentrate on internal affairs. Difficulty in allocating seats between provinces is regarded as responsible for no announcement yet on the appointment of a deputy Prime Minister. GANDHI’S FEARS The Johannesburg stock market eased following the composition of the new Cabinet. In Durban Manilal Gandhi, son of the late Mahatma, said that nonEuropeans in South Africa were “in for a bad time if the brutally frank election utterances of the new Nationist Government were put into action.” He added that he hoped the Party would “not be so ruthless as it had professed before coming into power.”