Despite the drama of it all -- the powerfully decisive referendum, President F. W. de Klerk's whirlwind campaign and his pledge to resign if the vote denied further reforms -- some University students from South Africa are taking everything with a grain of salt.

After more than 40 years of apartheid, white South Africans voted Tuesday heavily in favor of continued negotiations with the African National Congress and other black groups to create a non-racial constitution and give black South Africans the right to vote.

"It didn't impress us," said Felix Liphapang (graduate-curriculum and instruction).

After two years of negotiations and reforms as well as the release of thousands of political prisoners --including ANC leader Nelson Mandela -- Liphapang questioned de Klerk's decision to go to white people for their opinions.

"(A referendum) is where he should have started . . . It makes us wonder if he was not really honest in his reforms," he said.

The whole idea of the vote --3.3 million white South Africans deciding the fate of 30 million black South Africans -- angered many students.

"No one should be allowed to decide if they want to do that. It's just wrong," Life Mhlanga (sophomore-mechanical engineering) said softly. The outcome of the vote didn't matter, he added.

Before the vote, Mhlanga tried to clear his head about the issue by writing out his feelings on the referendum.

"It was wrong for the president to give yet another privilege to the white people, people whose hearts are filled with hate, evil and the desire to oppress black folks --(although) not all of them are that way -- to decide if they want to continue this evil and unjust act of apartheid," he wrote.

Although the students were disturbed that 30 percent of the whites voted for apartheid, Liphapang said, he felt encouraged that 70 percent of whites favored reforms.

"Hopefully, the reform process will be speeded up," said Windsor Radebe (graduate-educational administration).

Because the Conservative party was defeated, Radebe said, South Africa will now feel uncertainty and tension.

After two years of reforms and changes with continued racism and violence, students expressed skepticism about the vote's importance.

"We thought with negotiations, the violence would end," said Tom Makhura (graduate-agricultural economics).

Radebe, Liphapang and Makhura, seated around Liphapang's kitchen table yesterday, agreed that if it had been a "no" vote, the violence in the country would have escalated.

But Makhura said that with a "no" vote, at least something would have happened, even if that would be full-fledged violence.

"We want to get to the end and see our fate. We want to know," he said. "We'll find ourselves in another referendum in a few years. I need something now."

But Radebe wants to avoid violence at all costs.

"A lot of people have died in the process," he said slowly. "A lot of people have lost property. If it is possible, situations that lead to this type of thing must be avoided. We can't afford to lose one soul.

"If a referendum means putting an end to violence, then all right, let's have it," he said, sitting back in his chair.

"It is up to the government to stop the violence in the country if it is committed to reform," Liphapang agreed.

When asked if he saw hope for the future, Mhlanga paused for a long time.

"If negotiations go on, I could have some hope for the future," he said finally.