Integration speeded as result of polls?

Press, 2 May 1981, Page 6

Integration speeded as result of polls?

PA Wellington Results of this week’s white-only election in South Africa should mean a speeding up of racial change, the South African Consul-Gen-eral in Wellington, Mr Paul Lindhorst, believes. The elections, in which more than 20 million blacks. 2.5 million coloureds, and 800,000 Asians could not vote, gave the ruling National Party of Prime Minister, Mr P.. W. Botha, more than 75 per cent of the seats in the 165-seat Parliament. However, the National Party lost several seats. The reform party, Progressive Federal; came in second but the ultra Rightwing Herstigte Nasionale Party failed to win a foothold in the new Parliament. Mr Lindhorst said yesterday he was “very optimistic” of a speeding up of change. “Notwithstanding the loss of votes to both the Left and the Right, it is of far greater significance that National has been returned to power still with a massive majority by any democratic standard and. that, whilst the ultra Right-wing conservatives gained no seats whatsoever, it was the Progressive Federal Party that increased its representation in Parliament. "This, in my view, points to the mood of the white electorate for greater liberalism in racial reform rather than less,” Mr Lindhorst said. “It may now help the Government to speed up the evolutionary process that most white. South Africans have obviously opted for.” “The erosion of National Party voting support, however.on the Right to the ultra-conservative Herstigte Nasionale which supports the Status quo, apart from revealing there is opposition to change, which js not unnatural, characterises morepositively than anything else can that fundamental change is already an on-going process to attract this opposition.” Mr Lindhorst said. However, while saying he was “very optimistic,” Mr Lindhorst. said that "when you are dealing with race relations I do not believe you can talk in terms of a sudden dramatic act.” He said that if control of momentum were lost,then the Government would be in trouble. Mr Lindhorst, asked if be expected to see any change in attitudes of other governments, said South Africa obviously wanted to improve, its bilateral relations. “we would hope that with

the ongoing change in South Africa the New Zealand Government would find it easier

to accept our bona fides ana - our gestures of good will.’Vto said. ■' - a —■ - * -W;