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1984 South African general election

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House of Representatives
All 80 seats in the House of Representatives 41 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	30.94%
Party Leader Vote % Seats Labour Allan Hendrickse 74.93 76 People's Congress Peter Marais 11.86 2 Freedom Arthur Booysen 5.05 1 Independents – 7.18 1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
House of Delegates
All 40 seats in the House of Delegates 21 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	20.80%
Party Leader Vote % Seats National People's Amichand Rajbansi 36.12 18 Solidarity JN Reddy 36.62 17 Progressive Independent Faiz Khan 1.60 1 Independents – 24.88 4 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

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General elections were held in South Africa in August 1984 to elect coloured and Indian representatives to their respective houses of the Tricameral Parliament. The coloured elections for the House of Representatives took place on 22 August, and resulted in a victory for the Labour Party, headed by the Reverend Allan Hendrickse, which won 76 of the 80 seats. The Indian elections for the House of Delegates were held on 28 August and saw the National People's Party emerge as the largest party, winning 18 of the 40 seats. The Indian elections were opposed by the United Democratic Front and were marked by boycotts and protests. Despite the Prohibition of Political Interference Act of 1968 which banned mixed-race political parties, nine Indian members of Hendrickse's Labour Party stood as independents, one of whom won a seat and subsequently joined the NPP.

Background

In addition to the whites-only House of Assembly, a November 1983 referendum had approved the creation of two new houses an 80-member House of Representatives for coloureds and a 40-member House of Delegates for Indians.

Results

House of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Labour Party	200,335	74.93	76
	People's Congress Party	31,701	11.86	2
	Freedom Party	13,505	5.05	1
	Reformed Freedom Party	2,632	0.98	0
	Independents	19,204	7.18	1
Total		267,377	100.00	80
Valid votes		267,377	97.99
Invalid/blank votes		5,477	2.01
Total votes		272,854	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		881,984	30.94
Source: African Elections Database, Nohlen et al.

By constituency

House of Delegates

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	National People's Party	29,862	36.12	18
	Solidarity	30,276	36.62	17
	Progressive Independent Party	1,322	1.60	1
	National Federal Party	633	0.77	0
	National Democratic Party	14	0.02	0
	Independents	20,568	24.88	4
Total		82,675	100.00	40
Valid votes		82,675	98.88
Invalid/blank votes		936	1.12
Total votes		83,611	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		401,901	20.80
Source: Constituency Level Elections Archive

By constituency

Reactions

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 554 (1984) condemning the election, declaring it null and void as it was designed to entrench minority rule.

References

1. ^ "Elections in South Africa". African Elections Database.
2. "The politics of collaboration: The campaign for participation in the tricameral parliament". South African History Online. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
3. Clarke, Colin; Peach, Ceri; Vertovec, Steven (26 October 1990). South Asians Overseas: Migration and Ethnicity. Cambridge University Press. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-521-37543-6.
4. Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p832 ISBN 0-19-829645-2

External links

• BBC News report on the elections and reforms to Apartheid BBC Archive video

v t e Elections and referendums in South Africa
General elections	1910 1915 1920 1921 1924 1929 1933 1938 1943 1948 1953 1958 1961 1966 1970 1974 1977 1981 1984 1987 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024
Provincial elections	1910 1917 1935 1936 1943 1949 1954 1959 1965 1970 1974 1981 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024
Municipal elections	1995–96 2000 2006 2011 2016 2021
Referendums	1960 1983 1992
See also: Elections and referendums in the Boer republics and South African colonies Elections and referendums in South African Bantustans

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