1960 South African republic referendum

1960 South African republic referendum
5 October 1960
Are you in favour of a Republic for the Union?
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 850,458 52.29%
No 775,878 47.71%
Valid votes 1,626,336 99.52%
Invalid or blank votes 7,904 0.48%
Total votes 1,634,240 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 1,800,426 90.77%
Results by province
Front page of Die Transvaler, 7 October 1960, announcing republican victory by 70,000 votes

A referendum on becoming a republic was held in South Africa on 5 October 1960. The Afrikaner-dominated right-wing National Party, which had come to power in 1948, was avowedly republican and regarded the position of Queen Elizabeth II as the South African monarch as a relic of British imperialism.[1] The National Party government subsequently organised the referendum on whether the then Union of South Africa should become a republic. The vote, which was restricted to whites—the first such national election in the union—was narrowly approved by 52.29% of the voters.[2][3] The Republic of South Africa was constituted on 31 May 1961.

  1. ^ South Africa: A War Won, TIME, 9 June 1961
  2. ^ The Statesman's Year-Book 1975-76, J. Paxton, 1976, Macmillan, page 1289
  3. ^ "Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd". South African History Online. Retrieved 9 March 2013. On 5 October 1960 a referendum was held in which White voters were asked "Do you support a republic for the Union?" — 52 percent voted 'Yes'.