Book Extract
Smuts and Mandela: Tale of two men, two states
In this edited extract of ‘Smuts and Mandela: The Men Who Made South Africa’, Roger Southall explores fascinating insights and facts about the men and their creation of two very different state
17 November 2024 - 00:00
Jan Smuts is the figure most identified with the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, Nelson Mandela the figure most identified with South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994. Australian historian Keith Hancock refers to Smuts as the “actor, manager and producer” of the new state. Author and scholar on Jan Smuts Kenneth Ingham dubs him the “unofficial general secretary” of the National Convention, which preceded Union and drew up the draft South Africa Act...
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