United Party: Cape Provincial Office, Councils, constituencies & information files

Abstract

In terms of an agreement with the United Party in 1969, Unisa Library became the official custodian and processor of the Party’s political archives. The Archives also includes the United Party’s predecessors and its successor the New Republic Party and the records of parties which broke away from the UP e.g. the Progressive Party (later the Progressive Federal Party). The Cape Provincial Office, councils, constituencies and information files consist of 33,3 linear metres of records (333 boxes) . The Cape Provincial Office is part of the larger - approximate 500 linear metes - United Party Archives. The Archives is of particular value in that the records are the official documents of a white South African political party who ruled for 38 years and who were the official opposition for 39 years. The Cape Division of Information actively collected information resources on issues and persons who played a role in South African politics and society. These files contain valuable pamphlets and press cuttings from the major newspapers in the country from 1880 to 1990 and are fairly comprehensive. A database of all candidates and parties who participated in elections and by-elections from 1910 to 1987 in South Africa and Namibia, was created to assist researchers.