Impression Tricameral Parliament.

Date: 3 September, 1984

On 3 September 1984, Members of Parliament convened in Cape Town to promulgate a new South African constitution with a three tier parliament.  The constitution instituted three houses in parliament. The first was the House Assembly for Whites, the second was House of Representatives for the Coloured community and the third was the House of Delegates for the Indian community.

The House of Assembly comprised of 178 members, of these 166 were elected for a period of 5 years. 4 members one for each province were selected by the President and the other 8 members were elected by the 166 popularly chosen members according to proportional representation. The House of Representatives comprised of 85 members, 80 of these were elected for 5 years, 2 were nominated by the President and the last 3 were elected by the 40 popularly chosen members according to proportional representation. The House of Delegates had 45 members, 40 were elected for a period of 5 years, 2 were nominated by the President and the last 3 were elected by the 40 popularly chosen members according to proportional representation.

In order to be eligible to vote, the person was to be a South African citizen who fell under the racial categories that the houses represented. This parliamentary system which was known as the 'Tricameral Parliament' excluded Black African South African citizens from voting. The exclusion of Black African community acted as a catalyst for the township unrest in the 1980s and protests by the United Democratic Front (UDF).

Furthermore, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights rejected the 'new constitution' as null and void as it excluded the majority of people from exercising their right to participate in political affairs of their country. The 1984 constitution remained in force until it was repealed by the Constitution of Republic of South Africa Act No 200 of 1993. An interim constitution that abolished race as a criterion for voting became the supreme law of the country until the new Constitution was adopted in 1996.

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References:

1. Anon. (unknown) 'South Africa: elections 6 May 1987' [online] Available at: www.ipu.org  [Accessed 23 August 2010]
2. Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds) (1999) Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood
3. Leach, G. (1986) South Africa no easy path to peace, London, p.133
4. Lotter, H. (1997) Injustice, Violence and Peace, The Case of South Africa, Amsterdam, pp.49.
5. Morris, M. et al. (2004) Every Step of the Way, The Journey to Freedom in South Africa, Ministry of Education, p. 224.
6. South African History Online (unknown) 'Classroom: Grade 12' [online] Available at: www.sahistory.org.za  [Accessed 23 August 2010]
7. South African History Online (unknown) 'This week in history: 3 September 1984, Vaal Triangle erupts in violence' [online] Available at: www.sahistory.org.za  [Accessed 23 August 2010]
8. United Nations Department of Public Information (1985) Year Book of the United Nations, Netherlands, p. 856
9. Wallis, F. (2000) Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau