As prime minister, introducing the 4th Amendment to the Constitution Bill, 23 May 1980, which envisaged a tricameral corporate federation. Cited in The Star, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 27
P. W. Botha: 52 quotes18 likes
Famous P. W. Botha Quotes
“We do not want chaos in South Africa.”
Explaining why cinemas were not open to all races, House of Assembly, April 21, 1983, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
“I never have the nagging doubt of wondering whether perhaps I am wrong.”
As quoted in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 285
“South Africa is not a jellyfish and is in many respects a swordfish.”
Speaking to the House of Assembly on 28 April 1986, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
As Prime Minister at a National Party meeting in Stellenbosch, 10 April 1980, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 85
From his National Party Congress Speech in Durban on 15 August 1985
P. W. Botha Quotes about people
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 11
Press conference in Switzerland on 2 June 1984, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
As prime minister, on a Day of the Covenant rally in Hartenbosch, 16 December 1983, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 29
As MP of George, House of Assembly, 7 September 1948, as quoted in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books, 1994, p. 251
At an election meeting in Pietermaritzburg on 30 April 1987, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
As state president, unveiling a monument to Boer War victims at Delareyville, 10 October 1985, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 34
P. W. Botha Quotes about homeland
As state president at a parade of the SA Police College, Pretoria, 20 June 1986, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 37
As Prime Minister in a Business Week interview, USA, 4 April 1982, as cited in the Sunday Express, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 15, 41
As state president, referring to the ruling National Party House of Assembly, 17 August 1987, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 28
Speaking to parliament on 11 May 1964 as Minister for Coloured Affairs, as cited in The Guardian, 7 February 2006
P. W. Botha: Trending quotes
As state president in an interview with Figaro, Paris, 8 December 1986, as cited in The Star, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 41
“There is only one element that can break the Afrikaner … and that is the Afrikaner himself.”
Speaking to the House of Assembly on 26 April 1984. Excerpt from a quote by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
As state president, at the annual conference of the Afrikaner Studentebond, Stellenbosch, 15 April 1985, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 32
P. W. Botha Quotes
“Our history is responsible for the differences in the South African way of life.”
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 183
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 441
“The Cubans are not in Africa out of love.”
As Minister of Defence, 22 January 1978, Beeld
“You could not claim for yourself that which you were not prepared to grant others.”
As quoted in A Treasury of Quotations, Lennox-Short and Lee, Donker, 1991, p. 203
Speaking to the House of Assembly on February 20, 1981, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
As Prime Minister to the House of Assembly, 8 March 1979, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 65
As prime minister, Graaff-Reinet, 26 May 1984, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 35
“I have been to Switzerland before but not to this [Paul Kruger's] house or to a Swiss bank.”
On a European tour as Prime Minister, 31 May 1984, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 51
“Nelson Mandela can rot in prison until he dies or I die, whichever takes longer.”
Reportedly to Cape Town journalists in February 1987, though later denied. As cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
“Where in the whole wide world today can you find a more just society than South Africa has?”
As Minister of Defence, East London NP Congress, 6 May 1976, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 16
As Minister of Defence, House of Assembly, 1 September 1975, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 17
As cited in Country of My Skull, Antjie Krog, Random House, p. 270
“No Prime Minister before me has been attacked more viciously than I am today.”
At an election meeting in Pietermaritzburg on 30 April 1987, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 19
As Minister of Defence, speaking in Pretoria on 1 April 1968, Die Burger, http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/extract-speech-made-heilbron-16-august-1968 2 April 1968
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 244
“Most blacks are happy, except those who have had other ideas pushed into their ears.”
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 53
As cited in Country of My Skull, Antjie Krog, Random House, p. 270
“Accept where I am going or I will not lead you.”
Addressing the Transvaal NP Congress on 18 September 1979, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, November 5, 2006
“The free world wants to feed South Africa to the Red Crocodile [communism], to appease its hunger.”
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 90
“The separation of races happened long before the Nationalist Government. God separated the races.”
As prime minister to an Austrian journalist during a European tour, 3 September 1984, as cited in The Star, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 24
To a Voice of America journalist in Berlin during a European tour, 3 September 1984, as cited in Venture into the Exterior: Through Europe With P.W. Botha, John Scott, 1984
As Minister of Defence, interviewed in the New York Times, 28 October 1977
Addressing the Transvaal NP Congress on 18 September 1979, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 25
As prime minister in the House of Assembly, 23 April 1979, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 40
As State President in the House of Delegates, 23 April 1986, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 86
As Minister of Defence, Port Elizabeth NP Congress, 20 September 1976, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 49
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 22
As prime minister, Warrenton, 24 July 1982, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 23
Speaking to the House of Assembly on January 28, 1981, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
Speaking to the House of Assembly on 17 April 1978, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, November 5, 2006
As Minister of Defence, denying shelling of southern Angola by the SADF, 9 November 1976, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 63
“I feel more welcome among the black communities than I do among Coloureds”
Upon the resignation of Allan Hendrickse from cabinet, as quoted by Michael Parks, Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-25-mn-4089-story.html, 25 August 1987
