Was apartheid leader Pik Botha a Racist?

Question

What types of crimes did he commit against the South African blacks?

Answer 1

Is the Pope a Catholic?

"Its painful to say this, cold and cruel fact, but as they say about the truth, it hurts," said a Zimbabwean political commentator. "Many people died because of PW Botha's policies and war machinery. I've no tears for him but I will not forget his brutal legacy."

No sane person will stand in the pulpit and call him 'baasskop' or a hero. In death, the memory of PW Botha will be tied to his brutal apartheid rule which led to the death of more than 2 000 people and detention of more than 25 000 others without trial and often tortured.

To make matters worse, the architect of the segregatory system and violent destabilisation policies against Front Line states remained an unrepentant racist until his demise.

This was inspite of the hand of reconciliation extended to him by blacks when South Africa after the first democratic elections in 1994.

Early this year, in a filmed interview which was snubbed by a string of radio and television networks, South Africa's last hard-line apartheid advocate, Botha, said he did not regret a moment of his decade in power and denied blacks were considered inferior under white supremacist rule.

He arrogantly said that South Africa would be "in the drain" by now if blacks had gained power in the 1960s. Botha remained unrepentant throughout his life and only resurfaced to attack the government of President Thabo Mbeki. His highly repressive rule during his 1978-1987 tenure, his contempt for the new black government by refusing to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which probed abuses of the past, the destabilisation policies in Front Line states and his support for extremist white movements all made him unpopular."


"PW Botha, the prime minister from 1978-88 who refused to attend any commission hearings despite being ordered to by the courts, built up a highly militarised secret apparatus around the state security council which authorised hit squads to eliminate the government's opponents. How galling to hear Pik Botha, ex foreign minister, claim in his evidence to the commission that when they instructed the security forces to 'eliminate' their political opponents what they had intended was for that to be 'brought about by detention, not murder'.

Answer 2

Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha was the late Prime Minister PW (Pieter Willem) Botha's cousin. Pik was Foreign Minister for at least mid-1970s to around the end of Apartheid, if not past 1994. He's generally considered to have held much less virulently racist beliefs than the Prime Minister in the family.

However, Pik Botha presided over foreign affairs (kind of like our Secretary of State position) during some really awful attempts of the Apartheid regime to destabilize its neighbors, which were African-governed during his tenure. I think that's evidence of racial prejudice.

I'm thinking especially of support for the RENAMO insurgency in Mocambique and counterinsurgency in South Africa's then-colony (from 1917 to 1989) of South-West Africa, now Namibia.

Time reports in 2000 that Pik publicly considered joining the ANC (after Apartheid) to help with some of South Africa's daunting post-Apartheid issues. (http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2000/131/botha.html)

There's an interesting interview I've not yet digested fully from 1997 reflecting on South Africa's foreign relations during his term. http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/interviews/episode-17/botha1.html

One of my favorite odd books is Linda Polonsky's The Politicians' Cookbook: 25 South African Politicians and their favorite recipes. It's from the late seventies or early eighties. Pik Botha comes across as a really likeable guy defending a really awful set of policies. The book is out of print, but a unique find.

I think under it all that we're so steeped in racism that it takes a superhuman effort not to harbor racist sentiments. Pik Botha in another situation would probably have been as liberal as Dennis Kucinich. Just a thought.

Edit: Botha is a really common surname in South Africa. It's shared by lily-white Afrikaners and so-called "Coloureds," people of visibly mixed ancestry in South Africa. And before you cry racism, I think we're all mixed, but only some of us are mixed up about it. I'll get off my soapbox now. Cheers!

Answer 3

well apartheid was a major depression of black people, it made rules regarding life on race rather than equal rights and human rights themselves and although Pik Botha was the last white president of South Africa and lead south Africa in a time of great pain and ostracism although because of his wicked rules he also played a role in removing the apartheid completely and this was noted by nelson Mandela himself.

Answer 4

Talk about a self answering question. Apartheid was racist by definition.

Answer 5

first of all, he by no skill replaced right into a frontrunner - get your data straight away - he replaced right into a minister. Secondly - do you've concrete evidence that he commited any crimes? you should note that making accusations without concrete evidence, is prohibited in maximum international locations. not that you will be prosecuted with the help of this talk board - only for destiny reference on your human being potential.

Answer 6

Yes of course he was. Apartheid would be one crime for a start.

Answer 7

PIK Botha was a CRIMINAL. It's because of him about why apartheid ended, such a shame.