As a result, it encompassed two-thirds of South Africa's territory, and covered an area of approximately 717,000 square kilometres (277,000 sq mi).

Before union, the Cape Colony had traditionally implemented a system of non-racial franchise, whereby qualifications for suffrage were applied equally to all males, regardless of race.

During the union negotiations, the Cape Prime Minister, John X. Merriman fought unsuccessfully to extend this multi-racial franchise system to the rest of South Africa.

[6] During the apartheid era, so-called "bantustans" or homelands for the different Bantu nations were carved out of the existing provinces as part of the policy of perpetuating white control over South Africa.

With the 1994 adoption of the Interim Constitution, these homelands were re-incorporated into South Africa,[7] both part of the new Eastern Cape province.