# 1984 South African general election

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

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 | Total | 267,377 | 100.00 | 80 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 267,377 | 97.99 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 5,477 | 2.01 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 272,854 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 881,984 | 30.94 | |
| Source: African Elections Database, Nohlen et al. |||||

#### By constituency

| Constituency | Freedom | Independent | Labour | People's Congress | Reformed Freedom |
| Addo | 0.00% | 0.00% | 74.49% | 16.47% | 9.05% |
| Alra Park | 9.20% | 0.00% | 82.28% | 8.52% | 0.00% |
| Belhar | 0.00% | 47.52% | 52.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Berg River | 0.00% | 25.58% | 74.42% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Bethelsdorp | 0.00% | 0.00% | 96.71% | 3.29% | 0.00% |
| Bishop Lavis | 0.00% | 0.00% | 65.04% | 34.96% | 0.00% |
| Bloemfontein Opkoms | 5.20% | 0.00% | 84.60% | 0.00% | 10.21% |
| Bokkeveld | 0.00% | 50.26% | 49.74% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Bonteheuwel | 0.00% | 0.00% | 94.86% | 5.14% | 0.00% |
| Border | 10.30% | 0.00% | 87.76% | 1.95% | 0.00% |
| Bosmont | 50.00% | 0.00% | 50.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Britstown | 0.00% | 0.00% | 83.76% | 16.24% | 0.00% |
| Daljosaphat | 0.00% | 20.96% | 56.13% | 22.91% | 0.00% |
| Diamant | 0.00% | 13.19% | 69.05% | 17.75% | 0.00% |
| Diaz | 0.00% | 0.00% | 78.03% | 21.97% | 0.00% |
| Durban Suburbs | 0.00% | 0.00% | 69.08% | 30.92% | 0.00% |
| Dysseldorp | 0.00% | 0.00% | 92.22% | 7.78% | 0.00% |
| Eastern Free State | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Eersterus | 20.65% | 0.00% | 62.95% | 16.40% | 0.00% |
| Eldorado Park | 10.64% | 0.00% | 69.75% | 12.41% | 7.20% |
| Elsies River | 0.00% | 0.00% | 87.15% | 12.85% | 0.00% |
| Esselen Park | 0.00% | 7.54% | 60.46% | 31.99% | 0.00% |
| Fish River | 8.94% | 0.00% | 75.88% | 15.18% | 0.00% |
| Gelvandale | 7.51% | 0.00% | 84.30% | 8.19% | 0.00% |
| Genadendal | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Grassy Park | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 96.47% | 3.53% |
| Greenwood Park | 0.00% | 11.44% | 82.36% | 6.19% | 0.00% |
| Griqualand West | 0.00% | 6.49% | 76.69% | 16.82% | 0.00% |
| Haarlem | 0.00% | 0.00% | 77.73% | 12.37% | 9.90% |
| Hanover Park | 0.00% | 0.00% | 81.79% | 18.21% | 0.00% |
| Hantam | 0.00% | 0.00% | 75.74% | 24.26% | 0.00% |
| Hawston | 0.00% | 35.38% | 64.62% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Heidedal | 3.80% | 6.61% | 89.59% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Heideveld | 0.00% | 0.00% | 68.02% | 31.98% | 0.00% |
| Kalahari | 6.85% | 0.00% | 91.92% | 1.23% | 0.00% |
| Karee | 0.00% | 32.76% | 67.24% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Kasselsvlei | 0.00% | 26.08% | 58.38% | 7.50% | 8.04% |
| Klipspruit West | 23.44% | 11.28% | 60.18% | 5.10% | 0.00% |
| Liesbeek | 0.00% | 0.00% | 85.22% | 14.78% | 0.00% |
| Macassar | 0.00% | 13.33% | 69.10% | 17.57% | 0.00% |
| Mamre | 0.00% | 0.00% | 94.24% | 5.76% | 0.00% |
| Manenberg | 0.00% | 0.00% | 66.82% | 29.09% | 4.09% |
| Matroosfontein | 0.00% | 0.00% | 77.40% | 14.91% | 7.69% |
| Mid Karoo | 0.00% | 6.02% | 91.74% | 2.24% | 0.00% |
| Mitchells Plain | 0.00% | 0.00% | 83.50% | 12.62% | 3.88% |
| Natal Interior | 0.00% | 0.00% | 76.51% | 23.49% | 0.00% |
| Natal Mid-East | 0.00% | 26.60% | 64.22% | 9.17% | 0.00% |
| Newclare | 17.84% | 0.00% | 67.50% | 14.66% | 0.00% |
| Northeastern Cape | 18.66% | 0.00% | 71.90% | 9.45% | 0.00% |
| Northern Cape | 7.67% | 21.62% | 65.52% | 5.19% | 0.00% |
| Northern Transvaal | 13.62% | 0.00% | 78.10% | 8.28% | 0.00% |
| Nuweveld | 0.00% | 0.00% | 83.96% | 16.04% | 0.00% |
| Ottery | 0.00% | 0.00% | 42.97% | 57.03% | 0.00% |
| Outeniqua | 0.00% | 0.00% | 63.70% | 36.30% | 0.00% |
| Pniel | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Ravensmead | 0.00% | 12.05% | 80.27% | 6.07% | 1.61% |
| Rawsonville | 0.00% | 19.15% | 80.85% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Reiger Park | 1.89% | 13.79% | 84.32% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Retreat | 0.00% | 0.00% | 84.28% | 15.72% | 0.00% |
| Rietvlei | 0.00% | 32.00% | 65.58% | 2.42% | 0.00% |
| Riversdal | 0.00% | 50.97% | 49.03% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Robertson | 0.00% | 8.14% | 91.86% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Ruste Ter Vaal | 24.30% | 0.00% | 75.70% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Schauderville | 19.36% | 0.00% | 74.39% | 6.26% | 0.00% |
| Silvertown | 0.00% | 0.00% | 88.28% | 11.72% | 0.00% |
| Southern Cape | 0.00% | 0.00% | 90.86% | 9.14% | 0.00% |
| Southern Free State | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Springbok | 16.47% | 0.00% | 65.91% | 0.00% | 17.63% |
| Steinkopf | 16.61% | 31.46% | 51.94% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Strandfontein | 0.00% | 0.00% | 80.29% | 12.12% | 7.59% |
| Suurbraak | 36.25% | 4.49% | 59.26% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Swartkops | 0.00% | 0.00% | 77.76% | 22.24% | 0.00% |
| Swartland | 0.00% | 0.00% | 72.64% | 27.36% | 0.00% |
| Table Mountain | 0.00% | 0.00% | 50.64% | 49.36% | 0.00% |
| Toekomsrus | 41.44% | 7.01% | 51.55% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Upington | 0.00% | 0.00% | 91.70% | 8.30% | 0.00% |
| Vredendal | 0.00% | 0.00% | 63.66% | 36.34% | 0.00% |
| Wentworth | 0.00% | 0.00% | 54.11% | 45.89% | 0.00% |
| Western Free State | 1.97% | 0.00% | 91.22% | 6.81% | 0.00% |
| Wuppertal | 0.00% | 14.84% | 74.81% | 10.35% | 0.00% |
| Source: Constituency Level Election Archive ||||||

### House of Delegates

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 | Total | 82,675 | 100.00 | 40 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 82,675 | 98.88 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 936 | 1.12 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 83,611 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 401,901 | 20.80 | |
| Source: Constituency Level Elections Archive |||||

#### By constituency

| Constituency | NPP | Solidarity | PIP | NFP | Ind |
| Actonville | – | 18.43% | – | 11.97% | 69.59% |
| Allandale | – | 48.26% | – | – | 51.74% |
| Arena Park | 73.17% | 26.83% | – | – | – |
| Bayview | 27.55% | 56.28% | – | – | 16.17% |
| Brickfield | 51.18% | 14.67% | – | – | 34.15% |
| Camperdown | 41.10% | 51.90% | – | – | 7.00% |
| Cavendish | 18.71% | 41.18% | – | 4.67% | 35.44% |
| Central Rand | 2.36% | 51.30% | 0.24% | – | 46.09% |
| Chatsworth Central | 44.12% | 47.73% | – | 8.14% | – |
| Clare Estate | 29.90% | 17.44% | – | – | 52.66% |
| Durban Bay | 52.26% | 3.40% | – | – | 44.34% |
| Eastern Transvaal | 18.09% | 46.65% | – | – | 35.27% |
| Glenview | 22.51% | 77.49% | – | – | – |
| Havenside | – | 66.17% | – | – | 33.83% |
| Isipingo | 40.05% | 37.65% | – | – | 22.30% |
| Laudium | 57.67% | 9.32% | – | – | 33.01% |
| Lenasia Central | 40.84% | 25.38% | 19.27% | – | 14.50% |
| Lenasia East | 24.93% | 26.25% | 42.78% | – | 6.04% |
| Lenasia West | 47.39% | 23.75% | 7.66% | – | 21.20% |
| Malabar | 81.12% | 0.32% | – | – | 18.56% |
| Marianhill | 50.62% | 48.33% | – | – | 1.05% |
| Merebank | 31.93% | 47.32% | – | – | 20.76% |
| Montford | 40.80% | 48.58% | – | – | 10.62% |
| Moorcross | 47.02% | 37.45% | – | – | 15.52% |
| Natal Midlands | 47.03% | 20.63% | – | – | 32.34% |
| Newholme | 41.80% | 19.42% | – | – | 38.78% |
| North Coast | 82.96% | 17.04% | – | – | – |
| North Western Transvaal | 40.42% | 14.55% | – | – | 45.03% |
| Northern Natal | 40.72% | 31.72% | 13.68% | – | 13.88% |
| Northwestern Cape | 35.05% | 20.00% | – | – | 44.95% |
| Phoenix | 21.60% | 34.81% | – | – | 43.58% |
| Redhill | 69.66% | 21.37% | – | – | 8.97% |
| Reservoir Hills | 41.58% | 53.73% | – | 4.69% | – |
| Rylands | 22.91% | 58.00% | – | – | 19.09% |
| Southern Natal | 21.42% | 48.95% | 13.54% | – | 15.75% |
| Springfield | 25.39% | 51.64% | 4.63% | – | 18.34% |
| Stanger | 27.14% | 72.46% | – | – | 0.40% |
| Tongaat | 23.40% | 20.01% | 0.59% | – | 56.00% |
| Umzinto | 35.62% | 32.88% | – | – | 31.32% |
| Verulam | 26.47% | 44.19% | – | – | 29.34% |
| Source: Constituency Level Election Archive ||||||

## 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.