Do any South Africans realise that the most important event affecting their history transpired in Rhodesia?

Question

In a 1922 National Referendum, Rhodesian citizens were asked to vote either "Yes" or "No" to the prospect of joining the then "Union of South Africa", as a new fifth province.

The late great Jan Smuts actively campaigned across Rhodesia for a "Yes" outcome.

In the end the "No" vote was victorious.

It is widely acknowledged that had the "Yes" vote prevailed, Jan Smuts would not have lost the 1948 National General Election to the right wing Nats and would have been allowed to continue with his policy of encouraging mass European migration to South Africa, for which means he had already chartered companies across western and eastern Europe, it is further estimated that the white population would exceed 30 million in South Africa today, had such an outcome occurred.

Were South Africans aware of this important turning point in their history and would they have supported mass immigration to South Africa by European foreigners which would have "diluted" Afrikaner culture?

Answer 1

Very interesting...

So then Mugabe would have been where he belongs -

(as you previously answered):

Behind the handles of a wheelbarrow!!!

Answer 2

Nope didn't know that! That's very interesting!

So if it did happen what would we all been called then?

If we were born in the "5th Provence"?

Still South Africans? Or Rhodesians?

Answer 3

Very interesting indeed. You deserve the star I gave you.

Thank you

Answer 4

I find this very interesting and no, I did not know Bull and thank you for the information. I would love to read more about this and will appreciate if you have a link to a web page or any other source where I can learn more. We know that Jan Smuts was an excellent statesman and he saw the potential in the former Rhodesia. Frankly speaking, I would have casted a yes vote and more so because of the close links between the two countries. However, if the yes vote has prevailed, would the international community have accepted the 'joining' of the two countries?