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South African general election, 1989
All 178 seats to the House of Assembly, all 80 seats to the House of Representatives and 40 (of the 45) seats to the House of Delegates
September 6, 1989
		First party	Second party	Third party
Leader		Frederik Willem de Klerk	Andries Treurnicht	Zach de Beer
Party		NP	Conservative	DP
Last election		124 seats, 52.29%	22 seats, 26.62%	19 seats, 14.03%1
Seats won		103	41	34
Seat change		-21	+19	+14
Popular vote		1 039 704	3 983 690	680 131
Percentage		48.19%	20.39%	20.39%
Swing		-4.10%	+4.90%	+5.97%
Incumbent State President Frederik Willem de Klerk NP State President-elect Frederik Willem de Klerk NP

South Africa

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of South Africa

Constitution Bill of Rights Government Executive President Jacob Zuma Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe Cabinet Shadow Cabinet Legislative Parliament National Council of Provinces Chairperson M. J. Mahlangu National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu Leader of the Opposition Helen Zille (national) Athol Trollip (parliament) Judiciary Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo Pres. of Supreme Court of Appeal Lex Mpati Courts Constitutional Court Supreme Court of Appeal High Court Magistrates' Courts Elections General: 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 Municipal: 2000 2006 2011 Referendums: 1960 1983 1992 Administrative divisions Provinces Districts (MMs, DMs) Municipalities (list) Other Political parties Foreign relations

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The 1989 South African general election was South Africa's last national race-based parliamentary election. The election was called early (no election was required until 1992) to gauge support for the recently elected head of the National Party, Frederik Willem de Klerk (who was in the process of replacing P W Botha as the country's president) and his program of reform, which was to include further retreat from the policy of apartheid.

Although it still won an absolute majority, the National Party suffered an electoral setback, winning only 48% of the popular vote and 103 of the seats in parliament.

The official opposition Conservative Party (CP), who opposed any form of powersharing with other race groups, remained the official opposition with 41 seats and gained 31% of the votes.

Before the elections the liberal Progressive Federal Party (PFP) had dissolved itself and regrouped as the Democratic Party (DP), which went on to take 34 seats.

House of Assembly (White)

6 September 1989, House of Assembly Election

• Registered voters: 3 120 104
• Total votes (Voter turnout): 2 167 929 (69.48%)
• Invalid/blank votes: 10 336
• Total valid votes: 2 157 593

* Compared to the Progressive Federal Party.

The White Chamber of Parliament had 178 members, 166 of whom were directly elected (including a seat from Walvis Bay, which was added in 1981) with 8 Members indirectly elected by the directly elected members on the basis of proportional representation and 4 nominated by the State President (one from each province).^[1]

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 forsake the apartheid system and seek a compromise with the African National Congress and its leader Nelson Mandela.

House of Representatives (Coloured)

Coloured voter turnout was low (about 18%). Those who did vote supported Allan Hendrickse's Labour Party by a large margin.

House of Delegates (Indian)

Indian voter turnout was around 23%.

References

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 Municipal elections 2000 · 2006 · 2011 Referendums 1960 · 1983 · 1992