J. G. Strijdom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
J. G. Strijdom
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| 5th Prime Minister of South Africa | |
| In office 30 November 1954 – 24 August 1958 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General | Ernest George Jansen |
| Preceded by | Daniel François Malan |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Verwoerd |
| Minister of Lands and Irrigation | |
| In office 5 June 1948 – 30 November 1954 |
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| Prime Minister | Daniel François Malan |
| Preceded by | Andrew Conroy |
| Succeeded by | Paul Sauer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom
14 July 1893 Willowmore, Cape Colony |
| Died | 24 August 1958 (aged 65) Cape Town, Cape Province, Union of South Africa |
| Resting place | Heroes' Acre, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Political party | National (1918–1935) (1948–58) Purified National (1935–1939) Herenigde Nasionale (1940–1948) |
| Spouses |
Margaretha van Hulsteyn
(m. 1924; div. 1924)Susan de Klerk
(m. 1930) |
| Children | Johannes Estelle Sky |
| Alma mater | Victoria College University of Pretoria |
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom (born 14 July 1893 – died 24 August 1958) was the fifth prime minister of South Africa. He served from November 1954 until his death in August 1958. People also knew him as Hans Strijdom and called him the Lion of the North.
Strijdom was a strong supporter of Afrikaner nationalism. He was a key member of the National Party (NP). During his time as prime minister, he made the NP's apartheid policies even stricter. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination. He also wanted South Africa to become a republic, separate from the British monarchy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johannes Strijdom was born on a farm called Klipfontein. This farm was near Willowmore in the Cape Colony. He later studied law at Victoria College and the University of Pretoria.
His father, Petrus Strijdom, was a well-known farmer. He was also an innovator in the Baviaanskloof area. Petrus owned several farms and businesses there.
Military Service and Political Start
During World War I, Strijdom served in the German South West Africa campaign. He was part of the South African Medical Corps. He later joined Helgaardt's Scouts and became a corporal.
After the war, Strijdom settled in Nylstroom, Transvaal. He became an important leader among the local Afrikaner community. In 1929, he was elected to the House of Assembly. He represented the Waterberg area for the National Party. At that time, General J.B.M. Hertzog led the party. Strijdom also led the NP in Transvaal, which was a very important province.
Political Changes and Ideals
In 1932, the National Party merged with the South African Party. They formed the United Party. This happened during a big economic crisis. Strijdom, however, was part of a group that broke away from the National Party. This new group was called the Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party (Purified National Party).
Later, this group became known as the (Reunited) National Party. D. F. Malan led this party. Strijdom and his followers did not trust General Jan Smuts. They were against Smuts's policies that favoured Britain. Strijdom was the only Member of Parliament from Transvaal who supported Malan's ideas.
Strijdom strongly wanted South Africa to become a republic. He hoped to be the first president. However, this big change did not happen until 1961, after he had passed away.
Leading South Africa: The Apartheid Era
In 1948, the National Party won the general election. They promised to put apartheid into action. This meant strict separation of different racial groups. After this victory, D. F. Malan became Prime Minister. Strijdom was made Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. He chose this role because he was interested in farming.
Becoming Prime Minister
On 30 November 1954, Strijdom became the leader of the National Party. This made him the Prime Minister of South Africa. He took over after Malan resigned. Malan had wanted someone else to be his successor. However, Strijdom was very popular with the party members. They trusted him to move South Africa towards becoming a republic.
During his time as Prime Minister, Strijdom worked to cut ties with the British monarchy. He also made the Afrikaner influence in South Africa stronger. He pushed forward with the policy of apartheid. One example was the Group Areas Development Act. This law further separated people based on race.
Racial Policies and Challenges
Strijdom strongly believed in keeping white minority rule in South Africa. He wanted to remove Cape Coloured voters from the main voters' list. Instead, they would vote on a separate list for separate (white) representatives. Malan had started this idea, but Strijdom's successor finally made it happen in 1960. Strijdom openly supported white domination.
During his time, the long Treason Trial took place. This trial involved 156 activists, including Nelson Mandela. They were involved in creating the Freedom Charter. Strijdom's government also ended diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. In 1958, the National Party gained even more seats in parliament during the general election.
Strijdom's health became weak in his last year in office. He died on 24 August 1958 in Cape Town. Hendrik Verwoerd took over as the head of the National Party. This ensured that the party's radical ideas continued. South Africa eventually broke completely from Britain and became a republic in 1961. Strijdom is buried in Heroes' Acre in Pretoria.
Personal Life
People called Strijdom "The Lion of the North" because he was very direct and strong-willed.
In 1924, Strijdom married actress Margaretha van Hulsteyn. They divorced within a year. His second wife was Susan de Klerk. She was the aunt of future President F W de Klerk. Strijdom and Susan had two children, Johannes and Estelle. His wife Susan passed away in 1999, and his daughter Estelle died in 2009.
Legacy and Monuments
There are still several monuments in South Africa dedicated to Strijdom. A monument with his bust in central Pretoria collapsed in 2001. Two people were injured. In 2012, the city of Pretoria renamed 27 streets. One street named after Strijdom was renamed in honour of Solomon Mahlangu. Strijdom's house in Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) is now a museum. It holds parts of the collapsed bust.
In Johannesburg, there is a suburb and a street named after Strijdom. However, some have been renamed, like Malibongwe Drive. In Weltevredenpark, a suburb of Roodepoort, there is a street called JG Strydom Road. Randburg also has a business district called Strijdompark named after him.
The Hillbrow Tower in Johannesburg was officially called the J.G. Strijdom Tower until 1995. After apartheid ended, it was renamed the Telkom Hillbrow Tower.
In Windhoek, which was then in South West Africa, the main airport was named J.G. Strijdom Airport. This was after it opened in 1965. When the country became independent as Namibia in 1990, it was renamed Hosea Kutako International Airport. Near Hoedspruit, there is also a tunnel named after him, called J.G Strijdom Tunnel.
See also
In Spanish: Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom para niños
