[3] The election of 1984 was marked by boycotts, as many Coloured and Indian South Africans saw the tricameral system as a means to entrench Apartheid.
[2] The party campaigned on a platform of repealing discriminatory legislation in the economic field[1]p. 59 and "peaceful change towards a just and democratic society with safeguards for minorities".
[4] There were suggestions at the time that Solidarity was somehow initiated by the government, as Prime Minister P. W. Botha preferred Dr. Reddy to the leadership of the National People's Party,[1]p. 59 a claim which was made more credible by the fact that some of the party leaders, including Reddy, had been members of government institutions, for example the President's Council.
Instead, the parties agreed on a coalition, with two Solidarity members (JN Reddy and Ismail Kathrada) appointed to the Minister's Council.
[6] The coalition only lasted a few months, however, and dissolved, partly due to differences between the parties,[6] but also because the Speaker of the House ruled that Solidarity could not be the official opposition while its leader served on the Council.[1]p.