born May 22, 1874, near Riebeeck West, Cape Colony
died Feb. 7, 1959, Stellenbosch, S.Af.
South African politician.
Malan obtained a doctorate in divinity (1905) and became a Dutch Reformed minister before entering parliament in 1918. He joined J.B.M. Hertzog 's cabinet (192433) but broke with Hertzog to form the Purified Nationalist Party (1934). He reconciled with Hertzog in 1939 and assumed leadership of the National Party after Hertzog withdrew (1940). His party won the 1948 elections by appealing to Afrikaner racial sentiments. He formed South Africa's first exclusively Afrikaner government (194854) and instituted apartheid .