History of South Africa (1910–48) Good Hope. Smuts took severe action against the pro-Nazi South Africa Ossewabrandwag movement (they were caught committing acts of sabotage) and jailed its leaders for the duration of the war. (One of them, John Vorster, was to become future Prime Minister of South Africa.) (See Jan Smuts during World War II.) Prime Minister Jan Smuts was the only important non-British general whose advice was constantly sought by Britain's wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Smuts was invited to the Imperial War Cabinet in 1939 as the most senior South African in favour of war. On 28 May 1941, Smuts was appointed
Director of Communications (Office of the Prime Minister) at 5:30am and describing his day until roughly 11:00pm. Since 2006 only half of the directors have lasted more than one year, with the average in the position being just 395 days, or roughly 13 months. The longest serving director is Sandra Buckler, with over two years in the position, who was forced to leave in order to undergo cancer treatment. The shortest duration was just 32 days with William Stairs, who left shortly after Prime Minister Stephen Harper was elected with a minority government. Director of Communications (Office of the Prime Minister) The Director of Communications in the Prime