South African elections in the 1980s

[Libertas Vel Mors]

It's always been a bit of a curiosity of mine to try and find results from apartheid era whites only elections, because, for all you hear about the leanings of different regions and the Afrikaners and english speakers, it's always seemed near on impossible to actually find anything confirming it.

Anyway, meandering around the internet - I stumbled across a truly ugly excel file, raw numbers only, with those results - spent an hour or so cleaning it up and now I have a file that actually ties through to what the results of the 1981 and 1987 elections were. No idea how I would share it, as at the moment it's just a spreadsheet that would be unreadable if copied in here. And a map is basically a no go because of 1) my (lack) of paint skills 2) good luck finding precise constituency boundaries 3) the issue of what to do with the homelands and townships - which could wind up intensely intricate around smaller towns and in rural areas.

Anyway, to start with - here are results by province at least:

1981
Cape Province
National Party - 43 seats
Progressive Federal Party - 11 seats (predominantly the Southern and Atlantic Coast suburbs of Cape Town ie Anglos and Jews)
National Republican Party - 1 seat (King Williams Town - old anglo heartland in today's Eastern Cape)

Natal
NP - 7 seats (disproportionately inland and more Afrikaans speaking)
NRP - 7 seats (disproportionately on the coast)
PFP - 6 seats (both Pietermaritzburgs - the university? - as well as one random rural one in the Midlands - which is an Anglo dominated farming area, notable for anyone who has ever read the 'Spud' books)

Orange Free State
NP - 14 seats

Transvaal
NP - 67 seats
PFP - 9 seats (Anglos around the North and East of Jo'burg)


1987
Cape Province
National Party - 47 seats
Progressive Federal Party - 8 seat
Independent - 1 seat

Natal
NP - 15 seats
PFP - 5 seats (no more Pietermaritzburg, but the random rural one remains)
NRP -  1 seat (also in the Midlands)

Orange Free State
NP - 14 seats (genuinely shocked the Conservatives didn't win one)

Transvaal
NP - 48 seats
Conservative Party - 21 seats (seem to be especially strong in mining areas, as well was what are now the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the latter of which actually voted no in the 92 referendum)
PFP - 6 seats (notably losing the - now notorious - central district of Hillbrow to and NP candidate running on a "gay rights and kick out the blacks" campaign)

Anyway, if there is interest, maybe I'll think of a better way to present the results. Or break them down by modern day provinces, more useful in the cases of the Transvaal and Cape, or even by cities.

Would you mind sharing the Excel sheet?

[Libertas Vel Mors]

Would you mind sharing the Excel sheet?

Happy to. I'm just not sure of a way to. I thought about loading it in a google docs or something, but I'm not sure I'm so comfortable about making my account details public like that. Is there anywhere you know of where I can just load the file as an FTP or something?

In the meantime, courtesy of the data analytical genius or Mr Sumifs, Mr Pivot and Mrs Vlookup, here are a load of numbers, but that show results for the new provinces and the big three cities.

Things might not be perfect - post '94 name changes meant it was pretty hard to locate places. I'm pretty familiar with KZN* and the Cape was easy enough - but random river valleys in the Transvaal? eh, maybe...

New Provinces '81
Eastern Cape   
National Party   56.39% (10 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   21.98% (2 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   11.31%
New Republic Party   10.32% (1 seat)
Free State   
National Party   72.96%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   25.23%
New Republic Party   1.81%
Gauteng   
National Party   56.41% (44 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   24.48% (9 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   11.74%
New Republic Party   4.83%
National Conservative Party   2.54%
KwaZulu-Natal   
National Party   37.44%
New Republic Party   31.97%
Progressive Federal Party   25.73%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.57%
National Conservative Party   0.29%
Limpopo   
National Party   60.82% (4 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   28.16%
Independent   9.16%
New Republic Party   1.86%
Mpumalanga   
National Party   60.21% (11 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   32.69%
Progressive Federal Party   4.19%
National Conservative Party   2.11%
New Republic Party   0.80%
North West   
National Party   64.93% (9 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   31.05%
National Conservative Party   4.03%
Northern Cape   
National Party   75.43% (7 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   17.51%
Progressive Federal Party   3.62%
National Conservative Party   3.44%
Western Cape   
National Party   55.52% (25 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   32.90% (11 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.98%
New Republic Party   5.34%
Independent   0.26%


new provinces - '87   
Eastern Cape   
National Party   59.28% (12 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   18.19% (1 seat)
Conservative Party   13.80%
New Republic Party   5.07%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.56%
Independent   1.10%
Free State   
National Party   55.82%
Conservative Party   36.35%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   6.27%
Progressive Federal Party   1.56%
Gauteng   
National Party   49.84% (40 seats)
Conservative Party   29.63% (7 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   16.08% (6 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.31%
Independent   1.49%
New Republic Party   0.65%
KwaZulu-Natal   
National Party   50.22%
Progressive Federal Party   28.16%
New Republic Party   9.82%
Conservative Party   8.87%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.87%
Independent   1.07%
Limpopo   
Conservative Party   51.50% (4 seats)
National Party   43.00%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.50%
Mpumalanga   
Conservative Party   47.14% (8 seats)
National Party   46.62% (3 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.99%
Progressive Federal Party   1.25%
Namibia   
National Party   73.51% (1 seat)
Conservative Party   26.49%
North West   
Conservative Party   47.97% (3 seats)
National Party   46.95% (6 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.65%
Progressive Federal Party   0.44%
Northern Cape   
National Party   59.11% (7 seats)
Conservative Party   34.07%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   3.67%
Progressive Federal Party   3.15%
Western Cape   
National Party   61.87% (26 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   19.26% (7 seats)
Conservative Party   11.56%
Independent   3.44% (1 seat)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.33%
New Republic Party   1.54%


cities - '81   
Cape Town   
Progressive Federal Party   47.70% (7 seats)
National Party   43.58% (6 seats)
New Republic Party   7.05%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.07%
Independent   0.61%
Durban   
New Republic Party   42.09% (5 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   31.06% (3 seats)
National Party   26.00% (2 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   0.85%
Jozi   
National Party   45.56% (13 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   39.92% (8 seats)
New Republic Party   8.82%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.14%
National Conservative Party   0.55%

cities - '87   
Cape Town   
National Party   60.23% (8 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   32.71% (5 seats)
Conservative Party   5.16%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.33%
New Republic Party   0.57%
Durban   
National Party   50.03% (6 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   36.03% (4 seats)
New Republic Party   10.99%
Conservative Party   2.19%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   0.76%
Jozi   
National Party   47.81% (13 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   25.96% (6 seats)
Conservative Party   18.90% (2 seats)
Independent   4.13%
New Republic Party   1.80%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.39%

*even then, some funny ones eg the seat of Umlazi - Umlazi is in Durban, easy... except Umlazi is a township, so why does it have a seat? is it the same place? or white areas nearby? hmm...

Hmm. You could try using an alternate email? Or, alternatively (if there is one) a link to the sheet's source could also work. No worries if not though.

[Libertas Vel Mors]

Would you mind sharing the Excel sheet?

Happy to. I'm just not sure of a way to. I thought about loading it in a google docs or something, but I'm not sure I'm so comfortable about making my account details public like that. Is there anywhere you know of where I can just load the file as an FTP or something?

In the meantime, courtesy of the data analytical genius or Mr Sumifs, Mr Pivot and Mrs Vlookup, here are a load of numbers, but that show results for the new provinces and the big three cities.

Things might not be perfect - post '94 name changes meant it was pretty hard to locate places. I'm pretty familiar with KZN* and the Cape was easy enough - but random river valleys in the Transvaal? eh, maybe...

New Provinces '81
Eastern Cape   
National Party   56.39% (10 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   21.98% (2 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   11.31%
New Republic Party   10.32% (1 seat)
Free State   
National Party   72.96%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   25.23%
New Republic Party   1.81%
Gauteng   
National Party   56.41% (44 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   24.48% (9 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   11.74%
New Republic Party   4.83%
National Conservative Party   2.54%
KwaZulu-Natal   
National Party   37.44%
New Republic Party   31.97%
Progressive Federal Party   25.73%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.57%
National Conservative Party   0.29%
Limpopo   
National Party   60.82% (4 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   28.16%
Independent   9.16%
New Republic Party   1.86%
Mpumalanga   
National Party   60.21% (11 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   32.69%
Progressive Federal Party   4.19%
National Conservative Party   2.11%
New Republic Party   0.80%
North West   
National Party   64.93% (9 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   31.05%
National Conservative Party   4.03%
Northern Cape   
National Party   75.43% (7 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   17.51%
Progressive Federal Party   3.62%
National Conservative Party   3.44%
Western Cape   
National Party   55.52% (25 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   32.90% (11 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.98%
New Republic Party   5.34%
Independent   0.26%


new provinces - '87   
Eastern Cape   
National Party   59.28% (12 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   18.19% (1 seat)
Conservative Party   13.80%
New Republic Party   5.07%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.56%
Independent   1.10%
Free State   
National Party   55.82%
Conservative Party   36.35%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   6.27%
Progressive Federal Party   1.56%
Gauteng   
National Party   49.84% (40 seats)
Conservative Party   29.63% (7 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   16.08% (6 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.31%
Independent   1.49%
New Republic Party   0.65%
KwaZulu-Natal   
National Party   50.22%
Progressive Federal Party   28.16%
New Republic Party   9.82%
Conservative Party   8.87%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.87%
Independent   1.07%
Limpopo   
Conservative Party   51.50% (4 seats)
National Party   43.00%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.50%
Mpumalanga   
Conservative Party   47.14% (8 seats)
National Party   46.62% (3 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.99%
Progressive Federal Party   1.25%
Namibia   
National Party   73.51% (1 seat)
Conservative Party   26.49%
North West   
Conservative Party   47.97% (3 seats)
National Party   46.95% (6 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.65%
Progressive Federal Party   0.44%
Northern Cape   
National Party   59.11% (7 seats)
Conservative Party   34.07%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   3.67%
Progressive Federal Party   3.15%
Western Cape   
National Party   61.87% (26 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   19.26% (7 seats)
Conservative Party   11.56%
Independent   3.44% (1 seat)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.33%
New Republic Party   1.54%


cities - '81   
Cape Town   
Progressive Federal Party   47.70% (7 seats)
National Party   43.58% (6 seats)
New Republic Party   7.05%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.07%
Independent   0.61%
Durban   
New Republic Party   42.09% (5 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   31.06% (3 seats)
National Party   26.00% (2 seats)
Herstigte Nasionale Party   0.85%
Jozi   
National Party   45.56% (13 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   39.92% (8 seats)
New Republic Party   8.82%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   5.14%
National Conservative Party   0.55%

cities - '87   
Cape Town   
National Party   60.23% (8 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   32.71% (5 seats)
Conservative Party   5.16%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.33%
New Republic Party   0.57%
Durban   
National Party   50.03% (6 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   36.03% (4 seats)
New Republic Party   10.99%
Conservative Party   2.19%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   0.76%
Jozi   
National Party   47.81% (13 seats)
Progressive Federal Party   25.96% (6 seats)
Conservative Party   18.90% (2 seats)
Independent   4.13%
New Republic Party   1.80%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.39%

*even then, some funny ones eg the seat of Umlazi - Umlazi is in Durban, easy... except Umlazi is a township, so why does it have a seat? is it the same place? or white areas nearby? hmm...

Alternatively, would you happen to have the popular vote divisions for the old provinces as well?

[Libertas Vel Mors]

Hmm. You could try using an alternate email? Or, alternatively (if there is one) a link to the sheet's source could also work. No worries if not though.

It was actually a text file that I had to download in csv format then figure out how to delimit to make any sense of. So in that respect, it's probably a bit silly to just duplicate the effort when it's already done. Maybe PM me your email address and I can send it over to you?

There might be a couple of errors in there - I fixed a couple today - but the results tie through to the official ones, so I'm pretty confident it is substantially correct.

Results for the old provinces are easy enough

1981
Cape Province   
National Party   58.39%
Progressive Federal Party   25.65%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   9.35%
New Republic Party   6.05%
National Conservative Party   0.42%
Independent   0.15%
Natal   
National Party   37.44%
New Republic Party   31.97%
Progressive Federal Party   25.73%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   4.57%
National Conservative Party   0.29%
Orange Free State   
National Party   72.96%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   25.23%
New Republic Party   1.81%
Transvaal   
National Party   58.01%
Progressive Federal Party   17.73%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   17.65%
New Republic Party   3.59%
National Conservative Party   2.52%
Independent   0.49%


and 1987
Cape Province   
National Party   60.92%
Progressive Federal Party   16.95%
Conservative Party   14.94%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   2.54%
Independent   2.43%
New Republic Party   2.23%
Natal   
National Party   50.22%
Progressive Federal Party   28.16%
New Republic Party   9.82%
Conservative Party   8.87%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   1.87%
Independent   1.07%
Orange Free State   
National Party   55.82%
Conservative Party   36.35%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   6.27%
Progressive Federal Party   1.56%
Transvaal   
National Party   48.62%
Conservative Party   35.36%
Progressive Federal Party   11.41%
Herstigte Nasionale Party   3.13%

Will do. Thank you!

[Libertas Vel Mors]

There is a map of divisions in 1989 (not sure when the boundaries changed, but think they were at least the same in ‘87) available online, but unfortunately I am not allowed to post the link until I have posted 20 times - happy to message it to someone so they can post it here (if the site will let me do that …)

I have a cleaned up version, but don’t know how to post images here.

There is clearly a bit of a problem with the boundaries as shown in the Witwatersrand / surrounds, notably with Losberg and Germiston District.

If you message me I can post it.