S. Africans in U.S. Urged to Vote on De Klerk’s Reforms

South African citizens in the United States who would be eligible to vote in the March 17 referendum on President Frederick W. de Klerk’s reform policies are being encouraged by their government to cast ballots today and Thursday at South African consulates.

The balloting is restricted to South Africans represented by the South African House of Assembly--the portion of South Africa’s three-chamber parliamentary system that represents whites.

Participants must be 18 and have a valid South African passport, plus an official South African identity document. In most cases, they must show up in person to vote. The only balloting station on the West Coast will be the office of the South African Consulate General, Suite 300, 50 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills.

Consul General Stefan Buys said his office can make special arrangements to pick up the ballots of voters in San Diego and San Francisco, but only in those cities. Those who have a passport but not an identity document should call Buys’ office at (213) 657-9200, he said. Voting on both days will take place from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.