Page 35 - SARB: 100-Year Journey

The Great Depression presented the coalition government with a difficult crisis that, it appears from the SARB’s internal discussions, was little understood for much of the early days. In brief, the Great Depression was a prolonged period marked by a decline in global economic conditions. In addition, Britain’s
decision to leave the gold standard on 21 September 1931 had far-reaching political and economic repercussions. The segment titled ‘The gold standard’ provides a detailed account of the SARB’s deliberations and interaction with the Minister of Finance on the matter of the gold standard.
A letter from the Afrikaanse Culture Board, addressed to Governor Postmus, requesting the equal prominence of Afrikaans and English on the SARB’s building on Church Square. /SARB
An article published in the Daily Herald on 22 September 1931 about Britain leaving the gold standard. /Alamy
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