Separate Representation of Voters Amendment Act, 1968 | |
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Act to provide for the further extension of the period of office of the sitting members of the House of Assembly elected under the Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951; to prohibit the filling of any vacancy in the representation of any division referred to in section 6 (2) (a) or (b) of the said Act or in the representation of non-Europeans in the Senate under section 7 of the said Act; to repeal the said Act with effect from the date of dissolution of the House of Assembly; and to provide for matters incidental thereto. | |
Citation | Act No. 50 of 1968 |
Enacted by | Parliament of South Africa |
Date assented to | 27 May 1968 |
Date commenced | 5 June 1968 / 2 March 1970 |
Date repealed | 3 September 1984 |
Repealing legislation | |
Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983 | |
Related legislation | |
Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951 | |
Status: Repealed |
The Separate Representation of Voters Amendment Act, 1968 (Act No. 50 of 1968) was an act of the Parliament of South Africa enacted under the government of B. J. Vorster, which repealed the Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951. This had the effect of removing the four members of the House of Assembly who were elected by Coloured voters in the Cape Province. Subsequently the House of Assembly would be elected solely by white voters.
The act was promulgated on 5 June 1968, but the repeal only took effect at the dissolution of the House of Assembly on 2 March 1970, before the general election of 22 April 1970. In the interim, the term of office of the four members was extended and the filling of any vacancy in their seats was prohibited.
In 1969 Coloured citizens were given the right to elect members to the Coloured Persons Representative Council, a quasi-legislative body with limited powers.
The act was repealed by the Constitution of 1983, which created the House of Representatives to represent Coloured citizens in Parliament.