Chapter 1C – CCTSA

APARTHEID

THIRD PERIOD OF NATIONAL PARTY RULE

PW Botha became Prime Minister in September 1978. He quickly realised that HF Verwoerd’s
ideology of separate development was not going to solve all South Africa’s problems because it made no provision for:

the political rights of the growing black majority in the so-called “white” parts of South Africa or for the “coloured” and Indian minorities; and because
six of the 10 national states – including KwaZulu-Natal – led by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi – refused to accept independence.

PW Botha

In a speech in Upington in 1979, PW Botha said that white South Africans would have to “adapt or die”. However, he continued to insist on a solution that would recognise the rights of white South Africans and other groups to national self-determination.

He embarked on a policy of reform which included:

trade union rights for black workers;
repeal of laws that prohibited inter-racial marriages and sex;
permission for mixed sport;
repeal of the pass laws; and
the abolition of more than 100 apartheid laws and measures.

A group of women hold signs in demonstration against the pass laws in Cape Town on 9 August 1956

Massive women’s protest in Pretoria on 9 August 1956.

Tricameral Parliament

His main reform was the 1983 “Tricameral Constitution” which:

gave “coloureds” and Asians control over their “own affairs” in their own chambers of Parliament and representation in the national Parliament that controlled common affairs; and
made PW Botha an Executive State President – rather than Prime Minister.

HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM ENJOYED LITTLE SUPPORT FROM “COLOUREDS” AND ASIANS AND LEFT WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS IN EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF DECISIONS ON COMMON AFFAIRS.

Voter turnout for the (“Coloured”) House of Representatives in the September 1989 election was only 18,1% – and for the (Indian) House of Delegates – only 23.3%.