Dying Democracy

One by one the pillars of democracy are toppling into the dust in unhappy South Africa. Last month the Nationalist government packed the High Court (TIME, May 9); last week it undertook to pack Parliament as well. In the Lower House of Parliament, Prime Minister Johannes Strydom introduced a bill that would increase the membership of the South African Senate from 48 to 89 in such a way as to raise the Nationalist membership of the Upper House from 30 to 77, reduce the Opposition (United Party) from 18 seats to 12.

Strydom's bill is sure to pass, for his party has the votes. The new Nationalist Senators will give the government the two-thirds majority it needs in a joint session of Parliament to change South Africa's constitution and disenfranchise the 45,000 colored (mixed-blood) South Africans who still have votes.

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