Margaret Ballinger
Encyclopedia
Margaret Ballinger was the first President of the Liberal Party of South Africa and a South African Member of Parliament
. In 1944, Ballinger was referred to as the "Queen of the Blacks" by TIME magazine
. At that time she held considerable power in the government of South Africa
.
, Scotland in 1894 and moved to South Africa with her family when she was a child. Her father arrived just before the Boer War
and ended up fighting against the British. Hodgson (Ballinger) attended the Huguenot College in Wellington
before continuing her education in England. In England she went to Somerville College, Oxford
.
She taught history when she returned to South Africa at Rhodes University
in Grahamstown
and University of the Witwatersrand
. She stood for election where there were seven representatives for eight million black South Africans against the 140 M.P.s who represented the other 20% of the population. She had stood against other male candidates and talking through an interpreter had managed to win the electorate's confidence. It was said that she used the analogy of Joan of Arc
to illustrate what a woman could do for them.
She represented the people of the Eastern Cape
from 1937 on the (white) Native Representatives Council (NRC). She was credited, along with Senator Edgar Brookes
, for moving people from talking about controlling the native South African populace to finding out how their lives could be improved. In 1943 she was proposing new laws and in 1947 her plans included new training and municipal representation for "blacks" and improved consultation with the NRC. This period from 1937 through the 1950s is seen as when Ballinger had most power and influence. A Time Magazine report in 1944 named "Mrs Ballinger" as the "Queen of the Blacks". Her power as a speaker was only overshadowed by the prime ministers, Jan Smuts
, and Jan Hofmeyr, his heir apparent. The future that the article foresaw for Ballinger was as the "white hope" leading 24,000,000 blacks as part of an expanded British influence in southern Africa. She overshadowed her husband, William, who some see as now out of his depth in the changing political outlook. They had both formed a Friends of Africa movement, but this looked more to Britain for funding than it did in its success in linking to the emerging African native political organisations.
When the Liberal Party of South Africa was formed in 1953 she was its first President. The party was founded around Alan Paton
, who was one of the vice Presidents. She was one of the few people to speak against the apartheid views of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
.
In 1960 she left Parliament when the South African government abolished the Parliamentary seats representing Africans. She was given a bronze award in 1961 by the British Royal African Society for her services to Africa. Her citation mentioned the links she had established between African and European women and for the home for sick children she established.
She left the party before it was wound up by its own membership in 1968. At that time it became illegal for a political party to have members from more than one race. The party preferred to die rather than choose.
without official permission, the first is named in her honour.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. In 1944, Ballinger was referred to as the "Queen of the Blacks" by TIME magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
. At that time she held considerable power in the government of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Biography
Margaret Hodgson was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland in 1894 and moved to South Africa with her family when she was a child. Her father arrived just before the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
and ended up fighting against the British. Hodgson (Ballinger) attended the Huguenot College in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
before continuing her education in England. In England she went to Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
.
She taught history when she returned to South Africa at Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
and University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
. She stood for election where there were seven representatives for eight million black South Africans against the 140 M.P.s who represented the other 20% of the population. She had stood against other male candidates and talking through an interpreter had managed to win the electorate's confidence. It was said that she used the analogy of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
to illustrate what a woman could do for them.
She represented the people of the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
from 1937 on the (white) Native Representatives Council (NRC). She was credited, along with Senator Edgar Brookes
Edgar Brookes
Professor Edgar Harry Brookes was a South African Liberal senator and South African representative to the League of Nations.-Biography:...
, for moving people from talking about controlling the native South African populace to finding out how their lives could be improved. In 1943 she was proposing new laws and in 1947 her plans included new training and municipal representation for "blacks" and improved consultation with the NRC. This period from 1937 through the 1950s is seen as when Ballinger had most power and influence. A Time Magazine report in 1944 named "Mrs Ballinger" as the "Queen of the Blacks". Her power as a speaker was only overshadowed by the prime ministers, Jan Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
, and Jan Hofmeyr, his heir apparent. The future that the article foresaw for Ballinger was as the "white hope" leading 24,000,000 blacks as part of an expanded British influence in southern Africa. She overshadowed her husband, William, who some see as now out of his depth in the changing political outlook. They had both formed a Friends of Africa movement, but this looked more to Britain for funding than it did in its success in linking to the emerging African native political organisations.
When the Liberal Party of South Africa was formed in 1953 she was its first President. The party was founded around Alan Paton
Alan Paton
Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed...
, who was one of the vice Presidents. She was one of the few people to speak against the apartheid views of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd , commonly identified as H.F. Verwoerd, was Prime Minister of South Africa from 1958 until his assassination in 1966...
.
In 1960 she left Parliament when the South African government abolished the Parliamentary seats representing Africans. She was given a bronze award in 1961 by the British Royal African Society for her services to Africa. Her citation mentioned the links she had established between African and European women and for the home for sick children she established.
She left the party before it was wound up by its own membership in 1968. At that time it became illegal for a political party to have members from more than one race. The party preferred to die rather than choose.
Legacy
The home for sick children which she had established was closed down during the apartheid era, but it has taken new shapes. Ballinger had started three schools in SowetoSoweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
without official permission, the first is named in her honour.