THERE'S thing that's certain following the South Africae whites-only There's not going to be any move by towards reform.
The fact that seats were ained by Botha's National going up from 126 to 133 doesn't disguise the Fact that the NP's share of the vote declined from 56 to 2.4 per cen 'he aspirations of th Progressive Federal Party he New Republican Parts and the Independents were dashed bv the loss of more than one-third of their combined seats, and their vote nearly being halved.
Their plans aimed at reforms, ›acked by the ousliess imperialism, have disintegrated.
The real beneficiaries have been the Conservative Party who have increased their support and have become the chief opposition party in the whites-only parliament. The fascist Herstigste Nasionale Party have been marginalised.
Botha olaved or white the state, of hiend with, the state emergency, torced the political climate among whites away from thought of reform ne cecon renected uaus. Any notion that the main political option …ine Pretoria regime would take up negotiation with the ANC is proved nonsensical.
It may well be that a certain section of the business community does want reform, but the Afrikaaner verdict, particularly in the rural areas remains clear.
coudlly took place as the regime killed six railway workers, arrested leaders of the rai SARHWU. and al tacked the headquarters of COSATU.
The intentions of Botha's regime are clear and the fuel will come from his right, as they organise against any concessions being made to the black majority and demand increasca repression of the black South • WUKEN union who have been imorisoned as a consequence of their fight for basic human rights for their members. We protest strongly al wue general brutal oppression of our black South African comrades' he said.
•AM emergenci international campaign has been launched for the release of Themba Nxumalo with representatives from
Socialist Action 22 May 1987