1987 South African general election

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1987 South African general election
Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg
  1981 6 May 1987 1989  

166 of the 178 seats in the House of Assembly
84 seats needed for a majority
Registered3,031,414
Turnout67.84% (Increase2.svg 7.94pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  PW Botha 1962.jpg Dr Andries Treurnicht as studenteleraar van die NG gemeente Rondebosch.jpg Colin Eglin (cropped).jpg
Leader P. W. Botha Andries Treurnicht Colin Eglin
Party National Conservative Progressive
Last election57.66%, 131 seatsDid not exist19.65%, 26 seats
Seats won1232219
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 8New partyDecrease2.svg 7
Popular vote1,075,505547,559288,574
Percentage52.70%26.83%14.14%
SwingDecrease2.svg 4.96ppNew partyDecrease2.svg 5.51pp

State President before election

P. W. Botha
National

Elected State President

P. W. Botha
National

General elections were held in South Africa on 6 May 1987. The State of Emergency cast a cloud over the elections, which were again won by the National Party (NP) under the leadership of P. W. Botha, although for the first time it faced serious opposition from the right of the South African political spectrum. The election resulted in the creation of the Second Botha Cabinet, which held power until 1989.

Contents

The right-wing opposition came in the form of the Conservative Party (CP), which opposed even the limited powersharing with Indian and Coloured South Africans that had been implemented by the NP as part of a package of constitutional reforms in 1984. The CP was led by a former chairman of the Broederbond and NP cabinet minister, Andries Treurnicht, infamously known as Minister of Education under the Soweto riots. Following the election, in which the CP extended its 17 splinter MPs to win 22 seats, it replaced the Progressive Federal Party (PFP) as the official opposition in the House of Assembly. [1]

The election year also saw important political developments to the left of the NP. During 1987 Denis Worrall resigned as the South African ambassador in London to return to politics. Together with Wynand Malan (who had resigned from the NP) and Esther Lategan he formed the Independent Movement to fight the general election. Only Malan won a seat and the partnership consequently disintegrated. Denis Worrall and others subsequently went on to form the Independent Party (IP), while Esther Lategan and others formed the National Democratic Movement.

Partially as a result of the split in the votes to the liberal anti-NP parties, the PFP lost seven of its parliamentary seats as well as its role of official opposition. The New Republic Party (NRP), formerly the United Party, continued its disintegration and lost seven of its eight seats.

Results

Of the 12 appointed and indirectly elected seats, ten were taken by the National Party and one each by the Conservative Party and Progressive Federal Party. [2]

South African House of Assembly 1987.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Party 1,075,50552.70123–8
Conservative Party 547,55926.8322New
Progressive Federal Party 288,57414.1419–7
Herstigte Nasionale Party 61,4563.0100
New Republic Party  40,4941.981–7
Independents27,1491.331+1
Presidential appointees40
Indirectly-elected members80
Total2,040,737100.00178+1
Valid votes2,040,73799.23
Invalid/blank votes15,8900.77
Total votes2,056,627100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,031,41467.84
Source: [3] [4]

Cape Province

Constituency1981
result
1987 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajority NP PFP CP HNP NRP Independents Total
Albany PFP NP 5,64250.8%84469.9%5,6424,79858911,105
Algoa NP NP 7,38262.6%4,68265.8%7,3821,4492,70022911,793
Aliwal NP NP 4,37958.6%2,46769.9%4,3796781,9123087,299
Beaufort West NP NP 4,56864.1%2,48675.5%4,5682,0824187,128
Bellville NP NP 7,08775.0%5,63663.4%7,0878701,4529,455
Caledon NP NP 7,10080.0%4,63671.4%7,1002,4649,731
Cape Town Gardens PFP PFP 4,51146.8%48658.8%4,5114,9979,643
Ceres NP NP 5,33367.4%2,86075.4%5,3332,4737,909
Claremont PFP PFP 100%Unopposed
Constantia PFP PFP 8,00863.2%3,45265.1%4,5568,00812,661
Cradock NP NP 4,53255.8%2,39676.0%4,5321,1842,1362518,124
De Aar NP NP 4,58457.6%1,28378.3%4,5843,3017,964
De Kuilen NP NP 10,24473.4%8,21869.4%10,2441,3262,02628413,963
Durbanville NP NP 10,98361.1%6,08477.0%10,9834,8991,63628017,986
East London City NP NP 7,03567.7%3,78260.3%7,0353,25310,388
East London North NP NP 7,56964.3%3,87366.5%7,5693,69646711,773
False Bay NP NP 8,64477.9%7,40465.7%8,6441,2401,16111,093
George NP NP 8,31264.4%6,27869.7%8,3122,0341,91857112,901
Gordonia NP NP 4,60660.2%2,18172.2%4,6062,4255937,649
Graaff-Reinet NP NP 4,26854.5%1,92878.7%4,2682,3401811,0357,835
Green Point PFP PFP 3,60849.9%3952.9%3,5693,6087,232
Groote Schuur PFP PFP 100%Unopposed
Helderberg NP NP 8,43946.7%3982.2%8,4391,1898,40018,076
Humansdorp NP NP 6,74055.2%3,79873.0%6,7402,1692,94232912,207
Kimberley North NP NP 5,53956.1%2,65069.2%5,5399892,8894339,881
Kimberley South NP NP 6,75762.3%4,05270.9%6,7578252,70552210,845
King William's Town NRP NP 7,12761.5%2,73164.7%7,1724,44111,671
Kuruman NP NP 4,15452.0%35277.7%4,1543,8027,986
Maitland NP NP 7,50864.0%4,28060.7%7,5083,22877414411,737
Malmesbury NP NP 8,90171.1%7,41566.5%8,9011,4861,43563812,514
Mossel Bay NP NP 7,10865.4%3,43576.5%7,1083,67310,873
Namaqualand NP NP 4,48962.6%1,84971.5%4,4892,6407,176
Newton Park NP NP 7,84058.6%3,38675.6%7,8404,45498313,375
Oudtshoorn NP NP 5,35856.5%1,29673.5%5,3584,0629,476
Paarl NP NP 7,75371.0%5,60667.6%7,7539892,14710,919
Parow NP NP 8,12276.0%6,44865.3%8,1225711,67427410,689
Piketberg NP NP 8,21073.3%5,31476.3%8,2102,89611,200
Pinelands PFP PFP 6,95859.5%2,42272.9%4,5366,95811,690
Port Elizabeth Central PFP PFP 4,71452.6%59661.4%4,1184,7148,961
Port Elizabeth North NP NP 6,50771.3%4,50355.2%6,5072,0044439,128
Prieska NP NP 3,94961.0%2,06972.4%3,9491,8805656,476
Queenstown NP NP 4,63951.1%2,16273.0%4,6391,5702,4779,078
Sea Point PFP PFP 8,01071.5%4,93465.7%3,0768,01011,207
Simonstown NP NP 7,28850.6%26870.2%7,2887,02014,412
Stellenbosch NP NP 5,29656.5%1,78169.7%5,2964943,5159,376
Sundays River NP NP 6,08861.1%2,86875.6%6,0883053,2203119,957
Swellendam NP NP 5,81260.9%3,18878.0%5,8122,6241,0429,541
Tygervallei NP NP 8,35081.4%7,17857.1%8,3506671,17210,264
Uitenhage NP NP 5,95357.1%1,87866.4%5,9534,07519710,428
Vasco NP NP 7,16073.2%5,24360.6%7,1601,9176769,780
Vryburg NP NP 4,50056.4%1,37478.8%4,5003,1263087,980
Walmer PFP NP 6,15151.7%53969.2%6,1515,61211,895
Walvis Bay NP 1,78272.6%1,14052.7%1,7826422,454
Wellington NP NP 8,87772.6%6,79864.1%8,8778332,07935512,230
Worcester NP NP 7,55375.9%5,30867.5%7,5532,2459,953
Wynberg PFP NP 5,26450.0%9762.3%5,2645,16710,537
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NP PFP CP HNP NRP Independents Total
Votes
64.5%333,49990,96680,36613,77212,27213,417544,292
61.3%16.7%14.8%2.5%2.3%2.5%100.0%
Seats
488000056
85.7%14.3%0%0%0%0%100.0%

Natal

Constituency1981
result
1987 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajority NP PFP CP NRP HNP Independents Total
Amanzimtoti NRP NP 6,39251.0%1,88466.6%6,3921,5974,50812,538
Berea PFP PFP 7,07164.4%3,16066.1%3,9117,07110,982
Durban Central PFP PFP 5,59256.6%1,36058.7%4,2325,5929,888
Durban North NRP PFP 7,71857.0%2,11071.6%5,6087,71813,548
Durban Point NRP NP 5,01756.7%1,23051.4%5,0173,7878,849
Greytown PFP PFP 7,10648.1%67670.4%6,4307,1061,17514,773
Klip River NP NP 5,95654.0%3,48071.9%5,9561,9302,46763411,045
Mooi River NRP NRP 6,10351.7%1,80771.7%4,2961,3576,10311,800
Newcastle NP NP 5,71347.0%1,06466.0%5,7138224,64990412,152
Pietermaritzburg North PFP NP 6,65252.5%1,12168.3%6,6525,53141412,666
Pietermaritzburg South PFP NP 7,43654.0%1,50969.2%7,4365,92735213,778
Pinetown PFP PFP 8,29358.0%2,39469.8%5,8998,29314,297
Port Natal NP NP 7,09257.1%3,70364.5%7,0923,3891,87512,415
South Coast NRP NP 5,77849.6%1,41972.2%5,7721,4694,35911,640
Umbilo NRP NP 5,05052.0%48057.4%5,0504,5709,716
Umfolozi NP NP 4,38145.7%1,74362.5%4,3812,6382,5319,584
Umhlanga NRP NP 6,19551.9%55767.4%6,1955,63811,933
Umhlatuzana NP NP 8,23464.8%3,51966.1%8,2344,71571813,712
Umlazi NP NP 8,03565.0%4,88263.0%8,0353,15396616712,363
Vryheid NP NP 6,99261.9%4,13569.8%6,9922,8571,25711,300
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NP PFP CP NRP HNP Independents Total
Votes
66.2%119,29366,88521,05023,3274,4462,531237,532
50.2%28.2%8.9%9.8%1.9%1.1%100.0%
Seats
145010020
70%25%0%5%0%0%100.0%

Orange Free State

Constituency1981
result
1987 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajority NP CP HNP PFP Total
Bethlehem NP NP 6,92356.1%2,03877.8%6,9234,88543312,337
Bloemfontein East NP NP 8,51860.8%3,11865.8%8,5185,40014,008
Bloemfontein North NP NP 7,15262.0%4,35369.9%7,1522,7991,53211,535
Bloemfontein West NP NP 7,37165.8%3,65875.5%7,3713,71311,198
Fauresmith NP NP 4,22651.3%1,04863.4%4,2263,1787928,237
Heilbron NP NP 5,71350.4%68071.4%5,7135,03356711,346
Kroonstad NP NP 6,96061.7%2,72472.2%6,9604,23611,283
Ladybrand NP NP 5,87053.3%84280.4%5,8705,02811,012
Parys NP NP 6,41247.9%18376.7%6,4126,22969613,397
Sasolburg NP NP 7,33448.9%2,67372.9%7,3342,9334,66114,995
Smithfield NP NP 5,16255.0%1,68470.4%5,1622,1367109,388
Virginia NP NP 6,70855.0%3,04762.7%6,7083,6611,23755112,191
Welkom NP NP 7,89152.7%2,30964.7%7,8915,58293852914,968
Winburg NP NP 7,25757.9%2,52474.6%7,2574,73347112,540
Total for all constituenciesTurnoutTotal
NP CP HNP PFP
Votes
71.1%93,49759,54610,5052,612166,160
56.3%35.8%6.3%1.6%100.0%
Seats
1400014
100.0%0%0%0%100.0%

Transvaal

ConstituencyRegion1981
result
1987 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajority NP CP PFP HNP NRP Independents Total
AlbertonPWV NP NP 7,69555.0%1,94666.0%7,6955,74938714,001
BarbertonEast NP CP 6,05046.7%28472.4%5,7666,0501,09012,965
BenoniPWV NP NP 6,49849.3%2,79865.2%6,4982,9153,70013,173
BethalEast NP CP 10,33152.7%1,61269.1%8,71910,33147419,606
BezuidenhoutPWV PFP NP 7,35458.9%2,44258.8%7,5344,91212,492
BoksburgPWV NP NP 7,19850.5%2,79066.1%7,1984,4082,05555614,264
BrakpanPWV NP CP 6,82749.6%28866.7%6,5396,82725113,755
BrentwoodPWV NP NP 7,95550.4%2,01168.1%7,9555,9441,83615,780
BritsWest NP CP 7,31154.4%1,66775.8%5,6447,31143013,438
BryanstonPWV PFP PFP 7,39851.1%2,53368.7%4,8657,3982,12814,469
CarletonvillePWV NP CP 5,97047.7%9864.4%5,8725,97057112,514
DelmasEast NP CP 7,21644.7%27572.8%6,9417,2161,05879316,140
EdenvalePWV PFP NP 6,90250.0%16865.1%6,9026,73413,808
ErmeloEast NP CP 6,64149.4%67174.3%5,9706,64176613,446
FloridaPWV NP NP 7,50953.1%4,25178.9%7,5093,1582,59183314,148
GeduldPWV NP NP 8,04554.8%1,72365.7%8,0456,32214,686
GermistonPWV NP NP 6,50753.2%2,44059.8%6,4073,9671,40438612,238
Germiston DistrictPWV NP NP 7,60456.7%2,39458.9%7,6045,21035013,420
GezinaPWV NP NP 6,58452.3%1,32864.9%6,5845,25656612,582
HelderkruinPWV NP NP 9,81549.9%4,61771.2%9,8155,1984,57219,676
HerculesPWV NP NP 6,11439.2%86170.0%6,1145,2534,12315,587
HillbrowPWV PFP PFP 3,45542.8%8943.3%3,4551,1963,3668,074
HoughtonPWV PFP PFP 8,63563.1%3,85167.4%4,7848,63513,689
InnesdalPWV NP NP 7,27449.9%1,02475.5%7,2746,25087114,564
JeppePWV NP NP 6,20667.3%4,23142.2%6,2061,9751,0109,216
Johannesburg NorthPWV PFP PFP 8,60966.4%4,48868.2%4,1218,60912,960
Johannesburg WestPWV NP NP 5,95157.3%3,56651.6%5,9512,3851,91110,383
Kempton ParkPWV NP NP 7,80956.4%2,37965.8%7,8095,43036213,851
KlerksdorpWest NP NP 6,98043.6%1,85269.1%8,8326,98016,020
KoedoespoortPWV NP NP 8,28455.0%3,16772.1%8,2845,1171,25015,060
KrugersdorpPWV NP NP 7,23849.7%5565.4%7,2387,18314,577
LanglaagtePWV NP NP 6,52456.4%2,63358.5%6,5243,89184926711,574
LichtenburgWest NP CP 7,59557.5%2,59079.5%5,0057,59556513,206
LosbergPWV NP CP 8,40454.7%1,88667.8%6,5188,40415,374
LydenburgEast NP NP 5,71147.2%14373.8%5,8545,71143912,110
MaraisburgPWV NP NP 5,30249.7%83752.6%5,3024,46561728210,666
MeyertonPWV NP NP 7,97546.9%36066.6%7,9757,6151,33316,998
MiddelburgEast NP CP 8,12348.6%52973.3%8,1237,5311,01016,719
ModderfonteinPWV NP NP 10,25857.0%5,31867.8%10,2584,9402,37135817,996
NelspruitEast NP NP 7,33551.3%2,12670.9%7,3355,2091,00671314,303
NigelPWV NP CP 7,47449.9%64169.8%6,8337,47456514,969
North RandPWV NP NP 9,94040.7%1,19770.2%9,9405,5438,74324,428
OvervaalPWV NP CP 8,15553.2%1,07465.4%7,0818,15515,325
ParktownPWV PFP PFP 7,83965.9%3,95365.3%3,8867,83911,887
PietersburgNorth NP CP 8,34653.3%1,15176.1%7,1958,34615,648
PotchefstroomWest NP NP 6,88251.8%55870.9%6,8826,32413,278
PotgietersrusNorth NP CP 7,76150.2%1,23881.5%6,5237,7611,13615,470
Pretoria CentralPWV NP NP 5,39457.0%2,47054.0%5,3942,9245025689,469
Pretoria EastPWV NP NP 14,38956.0%8,24280.1%14,3896,1474,57344425,672
Pretoria WestPWV NP NP 6,99849.1%1,32658.6%6,9985,6721,50914,262
PrimrosePWV NP NP 7,61257.3%2,39266.2%7,6125,22027513,293
RandburgPWV NP Ind 8,24055.8%2,64669.7%5,5938848,24014,767
RandfonteinPWV NP CP 7,99954.8%1,73265.7%6,2677,99926714,591
RissikPWV NP NP 7,04056.7%3,84664.6%7,0403,1942,04912,411
RoodeplaatPWV NP NP 8,28949.6%1,64576.0%8,2896,6441,58916,712
RoodepoortPWV NP CP 6,87049.4%71465.1%6,1566,87073911913,914
RosettenvillePWV NP NP 7,26965.6%5,04255.2%7,2692,2271,46011,087
RustenburgWest NP NP 6,73645.2%81665.9%6,7365,9205021,73414,918
SandtonPWV PFP PFP 10,98068.5%6,10665.5%4,87410,98016,030
Schweizer-RenekeWest NP CP 5,62248.3%19178.8%5,4315,62254411,636
SoutpansbergNorth NP CP 7,17049.6%25082.0%6,9207,17026714,444
SpringsPWV NP NP 6,52348.1%88467.2%6,5235,6391,32513,558
StandertonEast NP CP 7,09650.2%95270.9%6,1447,09683414,138
StilfonteinWest NP NP 5,50444.6%20965.5%5,5045,2951,28912,331
SunnysidePWV NP NP 6,29853.4%3,23365.9%6,2983,0652,36511,795
TurffonteinPWV NP NP 9,01061.5%5,85960.9%9,0103,1512,33314,641
VanderbijlparkPWV NP NP 9,09257.0%2,34666.6%9,0926,74615,956
VentersdorpWest NP CP 6,70454.1%1,53173.0%6,7045,17344812,390
VereenigingPWV NP NP 7,12052.0%1,52466.1%7,1205,59693313,684
VerwoerdburgPWV NP NP 10,94058.5%4,99178.2%10,9405,9491,74818,698
WaterbergNorth NP CP 7,12251.8%2,37577.4%4,7177,1221,84513,749
WaterkloofPWV NP NP 7,79048.5%2,65080.9%7,7903,0385,14016,074
WestdenePWV NP NP 7,53155.9%4,35368.0%7,5312,6663,17813,483
WitbankEast NP CP 8,31949.3%84268.6%7,4778,31988616,891
WonderboomPWV NP NP 9,49649.1%59975.5%9,4968,89784119,342
YeovillePWV PFP PFP 7,70762.2%3,15960.4%4,5487,70712,394
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NP CP PFP HNP NRP Independents Total
Votes
66.8%529,216381,066123,66234,8154,01111,2011,083,971
48.8%35.2%11.4%3.2%0.4%1.0%100.0%
Seats
4721700176
61.8%27.6%8.9%0%0%1.3%100.0%

Reactions

Anglican Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu noted after the election, "We have entered the dark ages of the history of our country". [5]

Donald Simpson, writing in the South African newspaper, The Star , went as far as to predict that the National Party would lose the next election and that the Conservative Party would become the new government of South Africa. [6]

References

  1. Smith, William E (18 May 1987). "South Africa: A Lurch to the Right". Time. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013.
  2. South Africa Inter-Parliamentary Union
  3. "Notice 336 of 1987: Department of Home Affairs". Government Gazette . 263 (10751). 22 May 1987.
  4. Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, pp832–836 ISBN   0-19-829645-2
  5. "South Africa Takes Step Backward". Sun-Sentinel . 9 May 1987. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  6. The Star , 24 May 1987