Apartheid's National Party voted into oblivion (1.7% in election)

[Ediacara]

Apartheid's National Party voted into oblivion
Farewell to the architects of the world's most-loathed racist state
By Declan Walsh in Johannesburg

18 April 2004

The National Party was once proud and powerful, ruling apartheid South Africa with a whip in one hand, a Bible in the other. This week it stumbled towards the political wilderness, deserted by its supporters and led by a chubby-faced academic known derisively as "kortbroek" (short pants).

With 95 per cent of votes counted in the third democratic election, support for the New National Party (NNP) - its post-apartheid reincarnation - had crumbled to 1.7 per cent, an ignominious slide from 20 per cent in 1994 and 7 per cent in 1999.

In contrast, the African National Congresssurged towards its most decisive victory yet. President Thabo Mbeki's party won 69 per cent of votes, leaving its nearest opponent, the Democratic Alliance, with 13 per cent. The crestfallen NNP leader, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, said he remained "absolutely committed" to his party's approach. But traditional NNP voters were not so certain. The NNP haemorrhaged votes to the white-led Democratic Alliance, the emerging opposition star Patricia de Lille, and a right-wing Afrikaner party.

More at the Independent

[ima_sinnic]

1. that Chimp Boy's party might suffer the same fate . . .

well, I can always hope, can't I??
:)

[demosincebirth]

2. I hope...

South Africa doesn't turn into a one-party system. Look what the PRI did to Mexico for 70 years...everything the revolution was against.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. And yet...

...I'll take Mexico's PRIocracy over Apartheid any day. It's not like opposition parties are kept from functioning in SA or anything.