An Ill Vorster Leaves Office, Rejects U.N.-Namibia Efforts

PRETORIA, South Africa--South Africa's Prime Minister John Vorster announced yesterday he is resigning for health reasons after 12 years as South Africa's uncontested political leader.

The 63-year-old Afrikaner leader told a news conference he could no longer fulfill the "strenuous duties" of office, but he said he would be available for the office of the presidency.

Vorster also announced that South Africa has rejected Western diplomatic efforts to mediate a transition to independence for Namibia, the South-West Africa territory South Africa has occupied in defiance of U.N. rulings since 1966.

The South African government will now go ahead with its original plan to sponsor independence elections under its own supervision, he said.

Committee's Plan

A committee of diplomats from the five Western powers on the U.N. Security Council in July negotiated a tentative plan for U.N.-supervised independence elections between South Africa and the South West Africa People's Organization, the Namibian freedom-fighting group that has led the struggle for Namibian independence for the past 12 years.

South Africa's rejection of U.N.-supervised elections will probably result in the creation of a Namibian government friendly to South Africa, without the participation of SWAPO, analysts said yesterday.

SWAPO, which most observers agree commands the support of the majority of blacks in Namibia, has consistently refused to participate in elections held under South African supervision.

A caucus of Vorster's National Party, comprised of a majority of conservative Afrikaners, will meet in Cape Town on Sept. 28 to select a new president and prime minister.

Front Runners

The top contenders to replace Vorster include Pieter W. Botha, the hard-line defense minister; Connie Mulder, the conservative minister of plural relations (racial affairs); Labor Minister Fanie Botha and Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha. None of the three Bothas are related.

Reading from a prepared statement, Vorster said yesterday, "The South African government does not wish to close doors" to further negotiations with the United Nations and the western powers on the Namibia question.

But he said his government found the United Nation's proposal for a 7500-person peace-keeping force "totally unacceptable," adding that he was not prepared to accept a year-long transition period.

He said the government would proceed with constituent elections in the disputed territory because it "cannot allow this impasse to continue indefinitely."

Justice Marthinus Steyn, the administrator general of Namibia, said elections for a 50-member constitutional assembly will be held from Nov. 20-24.