Statecraft & Independence
Landmark
Jan Smuts
1870 – 1950
Prime minister and founder of the League of Nations
Landmark is level 2 of 4 in the South Africa Hall of Fame: a first that opened a door, or the pre-eminent figure of their generation in this country. See how the levels work.
Why they are here
A Boer general who became prime minister twice and helped found both the League of Nations and the United Nations.
He served in the British war cabinet in both world wars and drafted the preamble to the UN Charter.
His governments upheld racial segregation and denied black South Africans political rights.
His governments upheld racial segregation and denied black South Africans political rights.
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