The United Party under J. G. N. Strauss, who had become leader after Jan Smuts' death in 1950, lost several seats, and suffered several splits after the election.

Cape Coloured voters voted for the last time in a general election until 1994, overwhelmingly for the United Party.

Subsequently, two successive by-elections were held in Cape Western, but the victors had similar views to Mr Kahn and were also excluded from Parliament.

[3] The white electors of the territory of South West Africa (present day Namibia), were allocated six seats in the House of Assembly.

[4] The South Africa Act 1909 had provided for a delimitation commission to define the boundaries for each electoral division.

Sam Kahn and his two successors, after the Communist Party dissolved its public organisation and went underground, all claimed to be Independents.

The government had also strengthened its political position, by conferring six parliamentary seats upon the white population of the territory of South West Africa.

Since the previous general election, in 1948, the UPs veteran leader Field Marshal Jan Smuts had died.

It was retained by a new Labour candidate and is included in the totals for the results section of this article, The NP promoted its policy of apartheid Dr Malan suggested that the white voters could unite around the Nationalist programme.

Mr Strauss campaigned alleging that the first task of a South African government should be the suppression of "Native" crime, who created insecurity in the major cities.