South African policies

Press, 7 May 1981, Page 16

South African policies

Sir,—The heading “Changes in South African sport window dressing”, on the article by John Wilson, reveals the impression he endeavoured to convey. On page 6 of the same issue, I read, “Botha wins, but loses votes to Left and Right.” This implied that the results could hardly have pleased Mr Botha because of his loss of votes to the Left and the Right. Surely these results disprove the contention that there is no change. The fact that the Progressive Federal Party increased its representation supports the view that the mood of thje white electorate favours greater liberalism in racial reform rather than less. The erosion of National Party voting support on the Right to the ultra- conservative Herstigte Nasionale Party, which- supports the status quo, discloses that fundamental change is already an ongoing process to attract this measure of opposite ■

tion. The solution is to boost the evolutionary processes at work. It has been shown repeatedly that economic forces are far stronger than entrenched practices or laws.— Yours, etc., P. R. LINDHORST, Consul-General. May 4,198 L