[9] After the assassination in Cape Town of Prime Minister Henrik Verwoerd in September 1966, Schoeman was widely considered to be the favourite to assume leadership of both the National Party and the country.

"[10] In their 2003 book Unfinished Business: South Africa, Apartheid and Truth, Terry Bell and Dumisa Buhle Ntsebeza suggest that Schoeman was blackmailed by Vorster, though offer no evidence for their theory.

[10] African National Congress stalwart Gwede Mantashe has similarly claimed that Schoeman was blackmailed by "securocrats", forcing him to unexpectedly withdraw his candidacy and allowing the more conservative Vorster to take power.

[12] Notably following the Sharpeville Massacre, Schoeman along with Eben Dönges and Paul Sauer, publicly called for a relaxation of certain Apartheid policies, but this was rejected by Verwoerd.

Various major public infrastructure projects have been named after the long-serving minister including the larger outer dock of the Port of Cape Town, South Africa's busiest highway (the Ben Schoeman Freeway) and previously the East London Airport.