The Key West Citizen

South Africa Will Retain Present Gov't

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - South Africa's militantly segregationist government has won another five years in power with its parliamentary strength virtually unchanged.

The victory for the ruling National party in Wednesday's election might bring significant changes in the country's relations with Britain, however.

Prime Minister Johannes Strijdom and other Nationalist leaders had appealed for endorsement as an indication that the majority of the country's whites want to establish a republic and loosen ties with the British crown.

A voluble segment of the National party wants South Africa to quit the British Commonwealth entirely. So far the party's top leadership has not come out so strongly.

Strijdom in a victory statement made clear his party will maintain its rejection of criticism in the United Nations of the Nationalist racial policy.

"The answer that has been given to our opponents here and to all those who libel our country beyond our borders," he said, "is that the electorate of South Africa is still solidly behind the government and our policy, and that no interference in our domestic affairs will be tolerated."

Less than a million white citizens voted for the Parliament which will rule this nation of three million whites, 1,200,000 coloreds (mixed race) and 10 million Negroes.

With only 3 of 156 districts still unreported, the Nationalists had won 100 seats compared with 96 in the last Parliament. The opposition United party, which favors a milder segregation policy, took 53 seats compared with 52 previously. Minor parties were wiped out.

The new 163-seat House will also include four white members of the United party elected by the coloreds two weeks ago to represent them and three whites to be chosen to represent the Negroes.