20 September 1909
South Africa Act
The British Parliament passed the South Africa Act, creating the constitutional framework for uniting the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and Orange River Colony.
View in timelineThe British Parliament passed the South Africa Act on 20 September 1909, creating the constitutional framework for uniting the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and Orange River Colony.
Significance
The Act fixed the Union constitution that came into force on 31 May 1910. It retained the Cape's qualified franchise for some Black and Coloured male voters, preserved more restrictive systems elsewhere and limited membership of Parliament to white men.
Why it matters
The Act fixed the Union constitution that came into force on 31 May 1910, including racially unequal franchise arrangements inherited from the four colonies and uniform racial restrictions on eligibility for Parliament.