Botha Won’t Order ’86 Election

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — President Pieter W. Botha said tonight he will not call elections this year, as had been predicted, but added: “I appeal to voters to ensure that their names are on the voters’ rolls.”

There had been widespread speculation that Botha would use the congress of his governing National Party at East London to announce elections, which are not due for three years. He remarked instead that Parliament’s term runs until 1989, but did not specifically rule out a vote before then.