PW Botha,the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1978-1989, has died at the age of 90.
The African National Congress issued a brief statement saying it wished the Botha family "strength and comfort at this difficult time". As a former president, Mr Botha will be given a state funeral, as stipulated in the South African constitution
In the 1990s, Mr Botha appeared before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The panel concluded in 1998 that Mr Botha was guilty of gross human rights violations. Thousands were detained without trial during his presidency, while others were tortured and killed. However, he refused to apologise for apartheid.
Although he introduced a few cosmetic reforms, allowing the Asian and mixed-race communities into parliament, Mr Botha made no headway in terms of advancing political freedom. He imposed a state emergency in 1986 after South Africa's black majority did not accept his reforms. Mr Botha failed to satisfy those on either side of the country's racial divide and eventually resigned after a power struggle within his cabinet. In a interview to mark his 90th birthday, he suggested that he had no regrets about the way he ran the country.
I won't be spending a nanosecond mourning his passing
Botha South Africa
2 comments:
Eamon Devalera, the Irish Prime Minister and Douglas Hyde, the president, offered their condolences at the German embassy.. They weren't mourning him but in trying to be correct, doplomacy-wise, they showed themselves to be twats..
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