He said his Government felt "honor bound" to include white, mixed-race and ethnic Indian voters, who are represented by separate chambers in Parliament.

The stratagem works more noticeably here because the mixed-race voters make up 54 percent of the electorate.

With support from Asian and mixed-race voters wary of the black majority, the Government reckoned, it could muster 25 percent to block provisions threatening minority interests.

The invasions generated alarm among whites, Indians and mixed-race voters about whether Mr. Mandela could control his followers.

The Cape Town National Party leaders feel that drawing in blacks might alienate mixed-race voters.

The Democratic Alliance is expected to carry the votes in minority communities, where whites, Indians and mixed-race voters dominate.

The election will be the first in which white, mixed-race and Asian voters cast ballots on the same day for three segregated chambers of Parliament.

The turnout of mixed-race and Indian voters was also generally sluggish.

Early indications suggested the party surged primarily on the strength of surprisingly high turnout among whites, mixed-race voters and other minorities.

But white, mixed-race and Indian voters often said they felt the A.N.C. did not have their interests at heart.