Constitutional Change In South Africa

EDM number 579 in 1991-92, proposed by Richard Caborn on 29/01/1992.

That this House welcomes the convening of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and the prospect that it will lead to rapid progress towards a new united, non-racial and Democratic South Africa; expresses its grave concern, however, that the prospect of such progress is endangered by the statement made by President de Klerk at the opening of the racial Parliament on 24th January 1992 that the white electorate will be able to veto through a referendum any agreement reached at CODESA on constitutional changes; also recalls that the National Party's Constitutional Proposals published in September 1991 are inconsistent with Britain's stated objective of a genuinely democractic constitution; and therefore believes that the Prime Minister should not be socialising with Mr de Klerk at sporting events, should withdraw immediately the invitation to Mr de Klerk to join him at the England v. Ireland international Rugby Union match on 1st February at Twickenham and instead should state categorically that Britain rejects the National Party's constitutional proposals as not genuinely democratic and would never accept a veto by the white electorate over agreed constitutional changes.

This motion has been signed by a total of 78 MPs.