All South Africa elections

1989 South African General Election

The last whites-only election

6 September 1989 · The apartheid parliament · 166 seats, 21 for a majority

General elections were held in South Africa on 6 September 1989, the last under apartheid. Snap elections had been called early (no election was required until 1992) by the recently elected head of the National Party (NP), F.

A whites-only election under apartheid: the great majority of South Africans were denied the vote entirely. Recorded here as history, with that exclusion stated plainly.

Government leader before

F. W. de Klerk

National F. W. de Klerk

Government leader (continued)

F. W. de Klerk

National Party

Largest force

National Party

94 of 166 seats

Turnout

23.3%

The result

Share of the Assembly
National PartyF. W. de Klerk94-29
1 039 70448.2%-4.5
Conservative PartyAndries Treurnicht39+17
680 13131.5%+4.7
Democratic PartyZach de Beer33+13
431 44420.0%+3.9