1989 South African general election

General elections were held in South Africa on 6 September 1989, the last under apartheid. Snap elections had been called early (no election was required until 1992) by the recently elected head of the National Party (NP), F. W. de Klerk, who was in the process of replacing P. W. Botha as the country's president, and his expected program of reform to include further retreat from the policy of apartheid. The creation of the Conservative Party had realigned the NP as a moderate party, now almost certain to initiate negotiations with the black opposition, with liberal opposition (the PFP) openly seeking a new constitutional settlement on liberal democratic and federalist principles.

1989 South African general election

← 19876 September 19891994 →

166 of the 178 seats in the House of Assembly
84 seats needed for a majority
Registered3,120,104
Turnout69.48% (Increase 1.64pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Frederik Willem de Klerk, 1990.jpg
De Beer (cropped).png
LeaderF. W. de KlerkAndries TreurnichtZach de Beer
PartyNationalConservativeDemocratic
Last election52.70%, 123 seats26.83%, 22 seats16.12%, 20 seats[a]
Seats won943933
Seat changeDecrease 29Increase 17Increase 13
Popular vote1,039,704680,131431,444
Percentage48.19%31.52%20.00%
SwingDecrease 4.51ppIncrease 4.69ppIncrease 3.88pp

Results by constituency

State President before election

F. W. de Klerk
National

Elected State President

F. W. de Klerk
National

Although the National Party won a comfortable majority of seats (94 of 166) in the House of Assembly, the governing party suffered a setback and received only 48% of the popular vote, the first elections since 1961 in which the NP failed to win a majority of the vote. However, the first-past-the-post system, and a severely fractured opposition as well as the twelve appointed and indirectly elected members entrenched the NP's majority, allowing it to comfortably remain in power.

The Conservative Party (CP), which opposed any form of power-sharing with other races, failed to accomplish a breakthrough beyond its conservative Afrikaner backing as some had expected, but remained the official opposition with 39 seats. By some estimates, the party had received the backing of a slim majority of Afrikaners particularly in the Orange Free State, once the NP's heartland, but with very limited support among English-speaking voters.[1]

Before the elections, the liberal Progressive Federal Party (PFP) had dissolved itself and regrouped as the Democratic Party (DP), winning 33 seats, six seats short of retaking its position as the official opposition. In terms of vote share, it fell a quarter million votes behind the CP, but was favoured by its stronghold in the Cape Province and Natal.

House of Assembly (white)

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The White Chamber of Parliament had 178 members, 166 of whom were directly elected (including a seat from Walvis Bay annexed from South West Africa, which was added in 1981) with 8 members indirectly elected by the directly elected members on the basis of proportional representation and four nominated by the State President (one from each province).[2]

The results of the election were interpreted by the government (based on support for the NP and the DP together) as a mandate from the white electorate to reform the apartheid system and seek a compromise with the African National Congress and its leader Nelson Mandela. Mandela was released half a year later, and the 1989 elections were the last under the limited, whites-only franchise and the Tricameral Parliament introduced in 1984.

Of the twelve appointed and indirectly-elected seats, nine were taken by the National Party, two by the Conservative Party and one by the Democratic Party.[3]

Two seats won by the Democratic Party were uncontested, while the National and Conservative parties were tied in the Orange Free State division of Fauresmith. A five-month court battle followed after the Free State Supreme Court ordered a recount, which eventually resulted in a majority of five votes for the National Party candidate.[4]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Party1,039,70448.1994−29
Conservative Party680,13131.5239+17
Democratic Party431,44420.0033+13
Herstigte Nasionale Party5,4160.2500
Independents8980.040–1
Presidential appointees40
Indirectly-elected members80
Total2,157,593100.001780
Valid votes2,157,59399.52
Invalid/blank votes10,3360.48
Total votes2,167,929100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,120,10469.48
Source: Nohlen et al.[5]

Provincial breakdown

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ProvinceNationalConservativeDemocraticTotal
Transvaal34311176
Cape4221256
Natal1001020
Orange Free State86014
Total943933166

Cape Province

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ConstituencyRegion1987
result
1989 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajorityNPDPCPHNPIndependentsTotal
AlbanyEastNPDP6,06052.6%68769.3%5,3736,06011,510
AlgoaEastNPNP7,09462.7%3,10162.1%7,0943,99311,315
AliwalEastNPNP4,41962.5%1,84071.4%4,4192,5797,066
Beaufort WestWestNPNP4,08657.1%1,06780.2%4,0863,0197,155
BellvilleWestNPNP6,60766.8%4,66665.1%6,6071,3261,9419,896
CaledonWestNPNP7,21172.3%4,60571.1%7,2112,6069,978
Cape Town GardensWestPFPDP5,97563.0%2,52057.4%3,4555,9759,484
CeresWestNPNP5,39064.7%2,51977.3%5,3902,8718,335
ClaremontWestPFPDP8,07877.3%5,72061.9%2,3588,07810,455
ConstantiaWestPFPDP10,13273.3%6,47867.3%3,65410,13213,832
CradockEastNPNP4,25150.5%1,35981.2%4,2511,2542,8928,415
De AarNorthNPNP4,40253.1%57982.9%4,4023,8238,292
De KuilenWestNPNP9,99766.6%7,20471.2%9,9972,1872,79315,009
DurbanvilleWestNPNP11,59757.0%3,06075.9%11,5978,53720,334
East London CityEastNPNP4,80752.1%44657.0%4,8074,3619,233
East London NorthEastNPNP5,55646.7%50065.7%5,5565,0561,25611,903
False BayWestNPNP7,85668.1%5,93166.4%7,8561,7261,92511,538
GeorgeWestNPNP7,78152.5%3,96773.4%7,7813,1793,81414,813
GordoniaWestNPNP4,56956.8%1,11976.8%4,5693,4508,041
Graaff-ReinetEastNPNP3,99152.3%1,38180.4%3,9911,0222,6107,637
Green PointWestPFPDP4,81461.3%1,82355.0%2,9914,8147,852
Groote SchuurWestPFPDP6,28575.1%4,24656.5%2,0396,2858,374
HelderbergWestNPNP10,54055.0%2,04877.4%10,5408,49219,173
HumansdorpEastNPNP6,32748.3%2,26173.6%6,3272,7044,06613,112
Kimberley NorthNorthNPNP5,52557.3%1,56070.2%5,5253,9659,644
Kimberley SouthNorthNPNP6,54161.1%2,65870.1%6,5413,88312310,706
King William's TownEastNPNP6,20751.3%40165.8%6,2075,80612,089
KurumanNorthNPCP4,56652.5%43584.6%4,1314,5668,702
MaitlandWestNPNP6,15454.1%1,40557.0%6,1544,74944111,374
MalmesburyWestNPNP9,09971.1%5,61562.0%9,0993,48412,792
Mossel BayWestNPNP7,32761.3%2,80578.6%7,3274,52211,945
NamaqualandNorthNPNP4,26356.1%95976.4%4,2633,3047,596
Newton ParkEastNPNP7,19757.0%1,89768.5%7,1975,30012,628
OudtshoornWestNPNP5,67354.8%1,03980.0%5,6734,63410,349
PaarlWestNPNP7,05961.7%4,45671.7%7,0591,7482,60311,441
ParowWestNPNP7,36283.3%6,03954.7%7,3621,3238,842
PiketbergWestNPNP7,93570.3%4,99178.0%7,9353982,94411,294
PinelandsWestPFPDP8,17471.8%5,02171.3%3,1538,17411,380
Port Elizabeth CentralEastPFPDP5,50559.7%1,87062.6%3,6355,5059,228
Port Elizabeth NorthEastNPNP5,11765.7%2,70550.2%5,1172,4121197,792
PrieskaNorthNPNP3,69558.6%1,15078.5%3,6952,5456,303
QueenstownEastNPNP4,01443.3%1,10875.2%4,0142,9062,3029,278
Sea PointWestPFPDP8,87979.0%6,56164.1%2,3188,87911,237
SimonstownWestNPDP9,28260.7%3,36269.3%5,9209,28215,280
StellenboschWestNPNP5,77261.2%2,21568.2%5,7723,5579,435
Sundays RiverEastNPNP5,77855.6%1,21776.0%5,7784,56110,383
SwellendamWestNPNP5,72457.5%2,68178.3%5,7241,1543,0439,947
TygervalleiWestNPNP6,27470.2%4,26050.7%6,2742,0145798,932
UitenhageEastNPCP6,21750.2%12676.0%6,0916,21712,377
VascoWestNPNP6,54470.6%3,89956.3%6,5442,6459,271
VryburgNorthNPNP4,26154.0%65981.5%4,2613,6027,892
WalmerEastNPDP6,79853.1%89170.4%5,9076,79812,798
Walvis BayWestNPNP1,86865.6%91257.2%1,8689562,846
WellingtonWestNPNP8,16462.9%4,74363.6%8,1641,3703,42112,976
WorcesterWestNPNP6,67959.8%3,40973.4%6,6791,1933,27011,170
WynbergWestNPDP7,25363.0%3,02466.5%4,2297,25311,515
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NPDPCPHNPIndependentsTotal
Votes
68.6%315,967164,687106,4271,2620592,194
53.4%27.8%17.9%0.2%0%100.0%
Seats
421220056
75%21.4%3.6%0%0%100.0%

Natal

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Constituency1987
result
1989 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajorityNPDPCPHNPIndependentsTotal
AmanzimtotiNPNP6,63049.0%1,72267.3%6,6304,9081,96813,526
BereaPFPDP7,77968.2%4,27966.1%3,5007,77911,403
Durban CentralPFPDP6,32663.4%2,73958.8%3,5876,3269,978
Durban NorthPFPDP8,37664.7%3,85468.2%4,5228,37612,955
Durban PointNPNP4,10247.0%69451.3%4,1023,4081,1778,725
GreytownPFPDP8,23551.4%1,80871.3%6,4278,2351,31816,010
Klip RiverNPNP5,05347.8%1,91670.0%5,0532,3553,13710,580
Mooi RiverNRPDP6,61254.0%2,30070.1%4,3126,6121,25612,253
NewcastleNPNP6,05450.8%96168.2%6,0547505,09311,909
Pietermaritzburg NorthNPDP6,25248.3%62068.8%5,6326,2521,02112,936
Pietermaritzburg SouthNPDP7,33248.8%76469.9%6,5687,3321,05715,037
PinetownPFPDP8,95761.7%3,70367.7%5,2548,95724114,519
Port NatalNPNP5,62049.6%2,24761.0%5,6203,3732,31011,336
South CoastNPNP6,09550.2%1,52571.9%6,0954,5701,45112,144
UmbiloNPDP4,78348.1%72559.3%4,0584,7831,0809,949
UmfoloziNPNP5,01042.3%90766.7%5,0102,4374,10311,564
UmhlangaNPDP6,62651.5%1,40670.1%5,2201,0126,62612,873
UmhlatuzanaNPNP7,45956.7%1,88160.1%7,4595,57813,159
UmlaziNPNP6,14951.6%2,83561.2%6,1493,3142,42911,919
VryheidNPNP5,82550.4%1,43472.6%5,8251,0724,39125611,558
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NPDPCPHNPIndependentsTotal
Votes
66.2%107,077103,04332,803256241244,343
43.8%42.2%13.4%0.1%0.1%100.0%
Seats
101000020
50%50%0%5%0%100.0%

Orange Free State

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Constituency1987
result
1989 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajorityNPCPDPHNPTotal
BethlehemNPNP6,37348.2%40181.3%6,3735,97271615913,232
Bloemfontein EastNPNP8,51557.0%2,14872.2%8,5156,36714,951
Bloemfontein NorthNPNP6,47656.3%3,20468.7%6,4763,2721,73211,508
Bloemfontein WestNPNP7,37160.8%2,69672.1%7,3714,67512,125
FauresmithNPNP[b]4,51949.2%086.7%4,5194,5191209,185
HeilbronNPCP5,89649.5%12481.2%5,7725,89623111,922
KroonstadNPNP6,70654.9%1,29476.4%6,7065,41212,211
LadybrandNPCP5,80548.2%7086.3%5,7355,80547112,041
ParysNPCP7,73654.9%1,41382.2%6,3237,73614,100
SasolburgNPCP7,36149.9%2271.7%7,3397,36114,747
SmithfieldNPCP5,08050.0%10577.3%4,9755,08010,151
VirginiaNPNP6,91147.4%4770.6%6,9116,8646808814,587
WelkomNPCP9,31249.8%85671.8%8,4569,31279111218,687
WinburgNPNP7,53854.0%1,21881.0%7,5386,32013,947
Total for all constituenciesTurnoutTotal
NPCPDPHNP
Votes
76.6%86,53384,5915,453966183,394
47.2%46.1%3.0%0.5%100.0%
Seats
860014
57.1%42.9%0%0%100.0%

Transvaal

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ConstituencyRegion1987
result
1989 winning partyTurnoutVotes
PartyVotesShareMajorityNPCPDPHNPIndependentsTotal
AlbertonPWVNPNP7,16147.8%75367.3%7,1616,4081,32514,982
BarbertonEastCPCP7,70854.6%1,38178.0%6,3277,70814,109
BenoniPWVNPNP5,95744.5%2,75266.0%5,9573,2054,21213,394
BethalEastCPCP12,38356.4%3,06671.2%9,31712,38321021,967
BezuidenhoutPWVNPDP5,61846.6%35656.6%5,2629765,61816212,063
BoksburgPWVNPNP8,04350.0%2,39069.4%8,0435,6532,26011116,093
BrakpanPWVCPCP7,54350.4%89168.9%6,6527,54372914,969
BrentwoodPWVNPNP8,99748.1%2,37471.9%8,9976,6233,01618,691
BritsWestCPCP8,83160.1%3,03277.6%5,7998,83114,687
BryanstonPWVPFPDP10,94771.5%6,64267.8%4,30510,94715,320
CarletonvillePWVCPCP7,91853.0%95570.1%6,9637,91814,940
DelmasEastCPCP8,95651.0%58175.2%8,3758,95617,553
EdenvalePWVNPDP9,35859.4%3,55170.0%5,8079,3584513,551
ErmeloEastCPCP7,69553.6%1,07477.9%6,6217,69514,363
FloridaPWVNPNP7,56651.0%3,88273.2%7,5663,5293,68414,826
GeduldPWVNPNP8,28545.9%37772.7%8,2857,9081,82618,046
GermistonPWVNPNP6,19847.5%1,31563.8%6,1984,8831,95313,054
Germiston DistrictPWVNPNP7,00046.0%92664.3%7,0006,0742,08815,207
GezinaPWVNPNP6,42149.4%765.8%6,4216,41413,010
HelderkruinPWVNPNP12,11350.8%5,74874.0%12,1135,3026,36523,832
HerculesPWVNPCP9,37959.8%3,53868.1%5,8419,3793714415,673
HillbrowPWVPFPDP3,97149.7%1,05444.3%2,9171,0793,9717,997
HoughtonPWVPFPDP10,00372.7%6,30166.1%3,70210,00313,752
InnesdalPWVNPNP8,25053.8%1,50976.8%8,2506,74125515,344
JeppePWVNPNP4,59354.2%1,92240.6%4,5932,6711,1898,480
Johannesburg NorthPWVPFPDP9,51173.9%6,20567.4%3,3069,51112,874
Johannesburg WestPWVNPNP4,24742.1%1,32855.5%4,2472,9192,87010,088
Kempton ParkPWVNPNP7,46152.0%2,19667.3%7,4615,2651,60114,351
KlerksdorpWestNPNP10,44048.7%49572.3%10,4409,9451,00821,443
KoedoespoortPWVNPNP7,47746.9%27173.9%7,4777,2061,20015,958
KrugersdorpPWVNPNP8,18852.8%94969.3%8,1887,23915,518
LanglaagtePWVNPNP6,58056.6%1,70159.3%6,5804,87911,618
LichtenburgWestCPCP7,90662.4%3,19579.1%4,7117,90612,663
LosbergPWVCPCP8,34254.0%1,30266.7%7,0408,34215,459
LydenburgEastNPCP6,75350.9%87078.4%5,8836,75333216513,266
MaraisburgPWVNPCP5,34050.0%21452.3%5,1265,3407110,679
MeyertonPWVNPCP9,06944.7%770.6%9,0629,0692,11220,285
MiddelburgEastCPCP10,47257.8%3,68874.7%6,78410,47260923018,113
ModderfonteinPWVNPNP10,26950.4%4,15968.4%10,2696,1103,97220,392
NelspruitEastNPNP7,41746.8%49673.9%7,4176,9211,47215,833
NigelPWVCPCP9,46652.7%1,20775.3%8,2599,46619317,969
North RandPWVNPDP13,54242.6%2,30572.9%11,2376,90113,54231,820
OvervaalPWVCPCP8,58954.2%1,42665.4%7,1638,58915,849
ParktownPWVPFPDP8,80475.1%6,00465.1%2,8008,80411,730
PietersburgNorthCPCP9,17453.8%1,35674.8%9,1747,81817,061
PotchefstroomWestNPNP8,68454.8%1,58376.3%8,6847,10115,846
PotgietersrusNorthCPCP9,09060.0%3,14180.8%5,9499,09015,146
Pretoria CentralPWVNPNP5,91654.7%1,96957.3%5,9163,94777614010,819
Pretoria EastPWVNPNP17,23755.0%10,09980.6%17,2377,1386,87531,341
Pretoria WestPWVNPCP8,08557.1%2,14959.2%5,9368,08514,148
PrimrosePWVNPNP7,25354.8%1,35968.4%7,2535,89413,244
RandburgPWVIndDP8,48152.9%1,71474.1%6,7677558,48116,038
RandfonteinPWVCPCP9,06059.3%2,90258.8%6,1589,06015,278
RissikPWVNPNP6,77852.6%3,53369.0%6,7783,2452,81712,893
RoodeplaatPWVNPCP9,98350.9%56574.7%9,4189,98319,629
RoodepoortPWVCPCP7,72452.3%79666.1%6,9287,72414,759
RosettenvillePWVNPNP6,19555.9%3,28258.4%6,1952,9131,94511,083
RustenburgWestNPCP8,92153.8%1,50268.9%7,4198,92118316,591
SandtonPWVPFPDP100%Unopposed
Schweizer-RenekeWestCPCP7,14657.4%1,89283.8%5,2547,14612,459
SoutpansbergNorthCPCP8,13051.4%53084.3%7,6008,13015,807
SpringsPWVNPNP6,62249.0%1,24168.8%6,6225,3811,47313,507
StandertonEastCPCP9,08156.9%2,24974.1%6,8329,08115,970
StilfonteinWestNPCP5,86559.6%1,92667.3%3,9395,8659,840
SunnysidePWVNPNP6,37451.6%3,07367.4%6,3743,3012,62312,341
TurffonteinPWVNPNP7,95749.9%3,95863.4%7,9573,9993,96115,939
VanderbijlparkPWVNPNP10,29559.2%3,24667.7%10,2957,04917,401
VentersdorpWestCPCP7,48857.2%2,10677.4%5,3827,48815213,083
VereenigingPWVNPNP7,19947.1%570.4%7,1997,19486315,292
VerwoerdburgPWVNPNP12,08556.4%5,52479.4%12,0856,5612,75321,445
WaterbergNorthCPCP8,74660.2%3,99077.4%4,7568,7461,01514,530
WaterkloofPWVNPNP8,22048.8%2,30782.8%8,2202,6675,91316,837
WestdenePWVNPNP6,97449.7%2,64770.5%6,9742,6914,32714,020
WitbankEastCPCP9,59653.1%2,09169.0%7,5059,59694918,083
WonderboomPWVNPCP11,70351.4%90575.6%10,79811,70321222,760
YeovillePWVPFPDP100%Unopposed
Total for all constituenciesTurnout
NPCPDPHNPIndependentsTotal
Votes
67.9%528,170460,829159,3333,3086571,157,193
45.6%39.8%13.8%0.3%0.1%100.0%
Seats
3431110076
44.7%40.8%14.5%0%0%100.0%

House of Representatives (coloured)

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All five appointed and indirectly-elected seats were taken by the Labour Party.[2]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Labour Party171,93066.5969–7
Democratic Reform Party39,74115.395New
United Democratic Party19,8617.693New
Freedom Party1,9490.7510
Independents24,7059.572+1
Presidential appointees2New
Indirectly-elected members3New
Total258,186100.0085+5
Valid votes258,18698.90
Invalid/blank votes2,8611.10
Total votes261,047100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,439,11218.14
Source: Nohlen et al.[5]

House of Delegates (Indian)

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Of the five appointed and indirectly-elected seats, three were taken by Solidarity, one by the National People’s Party and one by the Merit People's Party.[2]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Solidarity58,21638.0216–1
National People's Party38,52325.168–10
Democratic Party10,4276.813New
National Federal Party8,0585.261+1
People's Party of South Africa6,0643.961New
United Party2,7121.770New
Merit People's Party2,0781.363New
Progressive Independent Party1,4970.980–1
Freedom Party7030.462New
Republican Party7010.460New
Independents24,15715.776+2
Presidential appointees2New
Indirectly-elected members3New
Total153,136100.00450
Valid votes153,13699.10
Invalid/blank votes1,3880.90
Total votes154,524100.00
Registered voters/turnout663,60423.29
Source: Nohlen et al.[5]

References

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  1. ^ The Star, 24 May 1987
  2. ^ a b c 1981 House of Assembly Election African Elections Database
  3. ^ South Africa: Parliamentary Chamber: House of Assembly: Elections held in 1989 Inter-Parliamentary Union
  4. ^ Aucamp, J.M. (2010) Die Nasionale Party van Suid-Afrika se laaste dekade as regerende party, 1984-1994, page 242
  5. ^ a b c Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, pp832–837 ISBN 0-19-829645-2

Notes

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  1. ^ Progressive Federal Party and New Republic Party combined.
  2. ^ Seat awarded to the National Party after court-ordered recount