Coloured Persons Representative Council

The Coloured Persons Representative Council of the Republic of South Africa[1] was a partially elected council with limited legislative powers, intended to represent coloured South Africans during the apartheid era. It was first elected in 1969, re-elected in 1975, and permanently dissolved in 1980.[2] In 1984 the House of Representatives was created to represent coloured voters in the Tricameral Parliament.

Coloured Persons Representative Council

Verteenwoordigende Kleurlingraad
History
Established1969
Disbanded1980
Preceded byUnion Council for Coloured Affairs
Succeeded byHouse of Representatives
Leadership
Chairman of the Executive
Tom Swartz (1969–1975)
Sonny Leon (1975)
Alathea Jansen (1975–1980)
Seats60 (40 elected, 20 nominated)
Elections
First-past-the-post with single-member divisions
Last election
19 March 1975
Meeting place
Proteaville, Bellville, Cape Town

Election results

edit

30 September 1969:

Party Elected Appointed Total
Labour Party 26 0 26
Federal Party 11 20 31
National Coloured Peoples' Party 1 0 1
Republican Party 1 0 1
Independent 1 0 1[3]
Total 40 20 60

19 March 1975:

Party Elected Appointed Total
Labour Party 31 4 35
Federal Party 8 9 17
Social Democratic Party 0 1 1
Independent 1 6 7
Total 40 20 60

Laws enacted

edit

In the course of its existence the CPRC only passed a small number of laws:

  • Law No. 1 of 1971: the Coloured Persons Rehabilitation Centres Law, 1971
  • Law No. 1 of 1972: the Coloured Persons Rehabilitation Centres Amendment Law, 1972
  • Law No. 1 of 1973: the Coloured Farmers Assistance Law, 1973
  • Law No. 1 of 1974: the Coloured Persons Social Pensions Law, 1974
  • Law No. 1 of 1977: the Coloured Persons Rehabilitation Centres Amendment Law, 1977
  • Law No. 1 of 1979: the Rural Coloured Areas Law, 1979

Notes and references

edit
  1. ^ The name is sometimes written as "Coloured Persons' Representative Council"; however the text of the Coloured Persons Representative Council Act, 1964, omits the apostrophe.
  2. ^ Saks, David Yoram (1991). The failure of the Coloured Persons' Representative Council and its constitutional repercussions, 1956–1985 (M.A.). Rhodes University. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  3. ^ The independent member joined the Federal Party immediately after the election.