Unionist Party (South Africa)

It favoured the maintenance of a pro-British political culture in South Africa similar to that present in the other British dominions.

The Unionists, as the largest party in the House of Assembly not included in the government, formed the official opposition in the first two South African parliaments (1910–1920).

In an article in The Times edition of 5 November 1920 it was explained that "when the Third Parliament of the Union met in April last General Smuts found his party in a minority – 41 (and three Independents) in a House of 134.

Jameson retired from the leadership in April 1912, when the Irish born Sir Thomas Smartt was unanimously elected as the new leader.

Smartt had been a senior colleague of Jameson's, both in the Cape Colony Parliament and government and the Union House of Assembly.