Muted reaction to PW's death
2006-11-01 10:51
Johannesburg - PW Botha, an international pariah as leader of apartheid-era South Africa, was recalled by colleagues on Wednesday as an arch hawk who ironically opened the door to the end of whites-only rule.
The death of Botha, who died in his sleep on Tuesday night at his home in the Western Cape, served as a sharp reminder of the bitter racial conflict which he presided over as prime minister and then president from 1978 to 1989.
Official reaction to his death was largely muted, with the current head of state, Thabo Mbeki, limiting himself to expressions of condolences for the family of a man who tried to crush the African National Congress.
"We have just received the news and we would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the family," President Mbeki, whose teenage son and brother are believed to have been killed by apartheid agents, told The Star newspaper.
No decision has been made on whether to grant a state funeral to Botha, who showed contempt for the new regime by refusing to appear before a commission established to shine a light on abuses perpetrated by his security forces.
His successor FW de Klerk, who pulled the curtain down on the apartheid era by calling the first multi-racial elections in 1994, said Botha had been a hard man to like but deserved credit for initiating contacts with the ANC.
Overbearing leadership style
Faced with mounting international pressure, which included economic sanctions, it was Botha who made the first tentative steps to open dialogue with the ANC, including its then jailed deputy president Nelson Mandela.
However it was not until his departure from office and Mandela's release from prison in 1991 that negotiations began in earnest. Three years later, Mandela became president after the first multi-racial elections.
"Personally, my relationship with PW Botha was often strained. I did not like his overbearing leadership style and was opposed to the intrusion of the State Security Council system into virtually every facet of government," said de Klerk.
However de Klerk recalled that "it was under his leadership that the government first made contact with Nelson Mandela and ANC leaders in exile".
"I should like to honour PW Botha for the enormous contribution that he made to preparing the way to the new South Africa."
Pik Botha, who served as foreign minister through his namesake's time in office, also recalled his uncompromising nature.
A very disciplined person
"He was full of humour, wit, that sort of thing but when it came to official work he was a very effective organiser," he told public radio.
"Temperamental at times, I think he was sometimes a bit on the authoritarian side, yet he gave me a relatively free hand" in negotiations with neighbouring southern African states.
Adriaan Vlok, who served as law and order minister under Botha, spoke of his sorrow at the news of his former leader's death.
"I will remember many things about him, foremost that he was a very disciplined person. And he loved people. He loved his people and he loved children," Vlok said.
However Helen Suzman, a constant thorn in the side of Botha's regime as the only white MP opposed to the apartheid rule, said he should not be remembered fondly.
"He was never a friend of mine. In fact, he was my bete noire when I was in parliament. He was very irritable, bad-tempered," she said.
Botha remained defiant
"There were of course a number of important changes introduced during his regime. These were important step forwads.
"He was not enormously intelligent ... but he had enough sense to realise that change would have to come because the black resistance was gearing up considerably and the opposition of the international community was growing very strong."
As the ANC's military campaign against apartheid gathered pace, Botha imposed emergency rule in 1985 and doggedly refused to pay heed to mounting international criticism of his regime.
Even in retirement, Botha remained defiant and refused to appear before the truth and reconciliation commission which found he personally ordered the bombing of the anti-apartheid South African Council of Churches' headquarters.