RR7015 SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS

(12 Apr 1970) RR7015: SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS On April 22nd 1970, over two million South African voters (all of them white) will go to the polls to elect a new Parliament. The ruling Afrikaaner-supported Nationalist Party, which has been in power for over 20 years, is expected to retain its commanding majority in the Assembly. But Nationalist Prime Minister John Vorster is faced with a challenge from the Herstigte Nasionale Party, or HNP - a small right-wing group of breakaway Nationalists who accuse him of pursuing dangerously liberal policies which are watering down the sacred principles of apartheid. The group is led by Dr. Albert Hertzog, a fanatical Calvinist who seeks to preserve, above all, the racial and religious purity of the Afrikaaners. At the other end of the political spectrum, the tiny Progressive Party, which stands solidly against apartheid, is in danger of losing the one seat it possesses. In the middle is the United Party, led by Sir De Villiers Graaff, which may lose votes to the Nationalists. This background to the elections includes shots of the rarely-filmed Dr.Hertzog, as well as an interview with Mr.Jaap Marais, his chief lieutenant and HNP spokesman. There are also interviews with Mrs. Helen Suzman, the Progres sive MP and with Mr. Carel Noffke, editor of the pro- government paper "Die Transvaaler". All interviews are in English. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...