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| No timetable yet for
multi-racial government |
| 1992: South Africa votes for
change |
England have
White South Africans have backed an overwhelming mandate for political reforms to end
apartheid and create a
power-sharing multi-racial government.
In a landslide victory for change, the government swept the polls in
all four provinces, and all but one of 15 referendum regions.
It won 68.6% of the vote in a record turn-out, which, in some districts
exceeded 96%.
The extent of change was highlighted in the Kroonstad region of the
Orange Free State, where five of the seven Parliamentary seats are held by
the "no" campaigners in the conservative party.
Despite being one of the most conservative districts in the whole
country there was a small yes majority for change.
Only Pietersburg in the Northern Transvaal, a rural right-wing
stronghold where Dr Andries Treurnicht has his parliamentary constituency
as head of the CP, returned a no vote.
Pretoria, the administrative capital which has symbolised Afrikanerdom,
produced a 57% "yes", in the legislative capital, Cape Town, 85% voted
"yes" and in the judicial capital of Bloemfontein 58.5%.
"Today we have closed the book on apartheid,'' Mr de Klerk said in Cape
Town as he also celebrates his 56th birthday.
White electors have not only voted by a 2-1 majority to abolish
apartheid but also to lose their own power.
Mr de Klerk said the result was a boost for the Convention for a
Democratic South Africa, Codesa, but he could not commit himself to a
timetable for installing a multi-racial government, which required further
discussions.
Dr Treurnicht pledged never to work on the Codesa board and that CP
would not join the negotiating forum.
He said: "De Klerk has won his referendum. That is clear."
But he vowed there would be a return of apartheid in the country and he
blamed media propaganda, foreign intervention and threats by businessmen
against employees for the result.
Nelson Mandela, the president of the African National Congress who was
jailed for 27 years because of his fight against black segregation, said
he was ''very happy indeed''.
