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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, AUGUST 16, 1985
PAGE 9
ON THE WORLD SCENE
THE SOUTH AFRICAN VORTEX� THE LESSON OF UGANDA It was a speech literally
heard around the world, even live via the Cable News Network (CNN) in the
United States. President Pieter
w.
Botha described it as "my manifesto for
a new South Africa." From the reaction afterward, hardly anyone seemed
satisfied with what Mr. Botha said, from white South African liberals (who
had expected much more) to black power radicals (who would not have been
satisfied with anything he would have said) to conservativ.
e whites (who
claimed he has painted himself in a corner he can't get out of) to American
congressmen (who, expressing disappointment, said the only U.S. course is
now tougher sanctions).
Here is how the REUTERS news agency reported
President Botha's August 15 speech (the wording of his address is corrected
in certain areas):
South African President P.W. Botha today dashed hopes of funda
mental changes in apartheid, and warned that he would consider
sterner measures to end the racial unrest. In a speech lasting
more than an hour, in which he at times sounded combative, Botha
said he was committed to negotiations with South Africa's black
majority but proposed no specific reforms. "Destroy white South
Africa and our influence in this subcontinent of southern Africa,
and this country will dnft into factions, strife, chaos and
poverty," he said••••
Botha condemned what he called barbaric communist agitators for
fomenting rioting in black townships which has killed over 600
people in the past 19 months. In the speech in Durban for a pro
vincial congress of his ruling National Party, Botha gave no new
details of any reform plans, quenching feverish speculation at
home and abroad about possible reforms. He said he and other
"reasonable" South Africans would not accept the principle of
one-man, one-vote in a unified state which "would lead to domina
tion of one group over another." He also ruled out establishing
a black fourth chamber in parliament. Indians and mixed race
people were admKtted to their own segregated chambers under con
stitutional reforms last year.
"I am not prepared to lead white South Africans and other minori
!Y
groups on � road to abdication and suicide," he said in the
speech, which was transmitted live by some foreign broadcasting
organizations. Botha, who clamped a·state of emergency on many
of the tensest zones in late July, said he had been "lenient" in
the face of widespread unrest and racial violence, but said:
"Don't push us too hard. Don't push us too hard."
Botha's speech was certain to disappoint South Africa's Western
allies, who are under increasing pressure to apply sanctions
against Pretoria and who were hoping for liberal, fundamental
reforms to apartheid, the system of strict racial segregation
that permeates South African life•••• Botha reaffirmed that he
would not consider releasing African National Congress [ANC]
leader Nelson Mandela from prison unless he renounces the use of
violence. Mandela, who has become a living symbol of black frus
tration and of black hope, was jailed more than 20 years ago.