| House of Representatives | |
| Native Name: | Raad van Verteënwoordigers |
| House Type: | Coloured representative house |
| Established: | 1984 |
| Preceded By: | Coloured Persons' Representative Council |
| Succeeded By: | National Assembly |
| Disbanded: | 1994 |
| Voting System1: | First-past-the-post |
| Last Election1: | 6 September 1989 |
| Meeting Place: | Houses of Parliament Cape Town Cape Province, South Africa |
The House of Representatives (Afrikaans: Raad van Verteënwoordigers) was an 80-seat body in the Tricameral Parliament of South Africa which existed from 1984-1994. It was reserved for Coloured South Africans. The body was elected twice; in 1984 and 1989. Electoral turnouts for the House of Representatives were poor.[1]
The House of Representatives met in the former Senate chamber in the Houses of Parliament, Cape Town. [2] The executive arm of the House of Representatives was a Ministers' Council, led by a Chairman. The civil service that dealt with Coloured "own affairs" (including education, health and welfare, local government, housing and agriculture) was called the Administration: House of Representatives, and was based in Cape Town.[3] [4]
In 1984, the House was dominated by the Labour Party, which won 76 of the 80 seats.
In 1989, the Labour Party lost support but still maintained a majority of seats with 69. Other parties represented included the Democratic Reform Party, United Democratic Party, Freedom Party and 2 independents. The 1989 house was almost entirely dominated by men, with only one woman elected.[5]
| Election | Date | Total seats | Others | Indep. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August 1984 | 80 | 76 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 6 September 1989 | 80 | 69 | 9 | 2 |