Tom Swartz Collection (DCAS Acc 60)

Abstract

Tom Swartz (1904 – 1975)

Tom Swartz was a South African politician and a leader of the Coloured people. He was active in Coloured politics, and attended the Coloured People’s National Union (CPNU) Conference in 1947 where he was elected Vice President. In 1953 he was one of the Coloured leaders who discussed the question of the Coloured people’s franchise with Dr DF Malan, the Prime Minister.

Mr Swartz was nominated as a member of the Union Council for Coloured Affairs and appointed its first chairman in 1959.

He was also the first president of the Federal Coloured People's Party (FCPP) founded in 1964. He remained the party leader until July 1975. After he had suffered a serious stroke in 1974, he could no longer play an active role in politics.

In 1968 the Coloured Persons' Representative Council (CRC) was established. Provision was made for 40 elected and 20 nominated members. The FCPP lost the first elections for the CRC in 1969. The FCPP gained a majority in the House because the government filled the nominated seats with FCPP members and Mr Swartz was appointed Chairman of the Executive Management.

The Tom Swartz Collection (6.6 linear metres)

The collection consists of the private papers of Mr Swartz, including diaries, notes, political speeches, press statements as well as documents concerning the Federal Coloured People's Party (FCPP) and South African politics between 1960 and 1974.

The collection was donated to the Unisa Archives in November 1975 by Mr Peter Swartz, son of Mr Tom Swartz.