ELECTIONS WERE HELD last Wednesday for the coloured sections of South Africa's chamber legislature. They were the first step in trying to legitimate the new constitutional deal that term future by giving the vote to the entire population.
The bottom line of that is the total exclusion of the 22 million black Africans by their being deemed citizens of 10 'independent des nile the fact that only a minoriaround 10 million live within the borders of artificially created, impoverished statelets; and despite the tact that the states so far created been recognised by other country in the state machinery, particularl the police, totally depends wille stale 1Ul finance and often personLCh.
The rest of the population whites (4.5 million), coloureds (2.5 million), Asians (800,000) represented in a tricameral parliament with a rallo 4:2:1. The present white House of Assembly new threeclaims to settle democratically the country's long (166 seats) becomes the white chamber with 83 in the coloured chamber and 43 in the Asian.
All of each chamber's votes will be recorded in favour whatever deci sion the as Thus white votes will ensure practically anything.
The same principles apply to election of the executive, president 2161 president's advisory coun WHOSE HELDEN Cal' not be in the parliament, and 25 out of 60 of whom dent also appoints the cabinet which is not responsible to parliament.
The purpose of this scheme is to create in each section black population, behind a thin veil of democratic institutions, a small amply-rewarded collaborators with white people. South Africa's coloureds gave their answer to this charade last week.
Despite an intense campaign to gel peopie lo register to vote, backed by police against fion peopposition only 60- peaceful demonstraper cent y 9i0 per these, only per cent turned out to vote nationwide that is, 18 per cent of all those eligible In Cap Town where nearly half of live, and where less than 50 per cent registered, only 10 Ree percent Tine per won his E24,000 . cent of eligibles. year seat with 118 votes.
"This boveott success is only the latest in a tradition going back 50 years. It is further proof the vast majority of South Africa's black majority do not accept any form of col laboration with white rule.
It lays the lays theat devd oprapid development which could be nurtured by three factors in particular. First, the formation of new federations of black organisations, notably the United Democratic Front, but
Socialist Action 31 August 1984