P. W. Botha: South

P. W. Botha

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

“South Africa is not a jellyfish and is in many respects a swordfish.”

P. W. Botha

Speaking to the House of Assembly on 28 April 1986, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006

“I believe we are today crossing the Rubicon, Mr Chairman. In South Africa there can be no turning back. I have a manifesto for the future of our country and we must engage in positive action in the months and years that lie ahead.”

P. W. Botha

From his National Party Congress Speech in Durban on 15 August 1985

Lie , Future , Country

“The idea of an Afrikaner people as a cultural entity and religious group with a special language will be retained in South Africa as long as civilisation stands.”

P. W. Botha

As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 11

People , Idea

“Unfortunately [South Africa] has been badly repaid for her loyalty because the West has expelled her from the family circle while befriending the most dictatorial regimes on Earth.”

P. W. Botha

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

Family , Loyalty

“Our history is responsible for the differences in the South African way of life.”

P. W. Botha

As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 183

Life , Way , History

“The security and happiness of all minority groups in South Africa depend on the Afrikaner. Whether they are English- or German- or Portuguese- or Italian-speaking, or even Jewish-speaking, makes no difference.”

P. W. Botha

Speaking to the House of Assembly on February 20, 1981, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006

Dependency , Happiness

“No more mine-laying. No more murder. No more abduction of women and children. No more attacks on headmen. No more raids across the border. So long as these conditions do not exist there will be no withdrawal [from South-West Africa] of South African troops.”

P. W. Botha

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

Women , Children

“The Republic of South Africa has a new formula under the National Party's leadership: black nations can get freedom without firing shots or revolution.”

P. W. Botha

As prime minister, Graaff-Reinet, 26 May 1984, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 35

Freedom

“Where in the whole wide world today can you find a more just society than South Africa has?”

P. W. Botha

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

World

“Many refugees – white, brown and black – flee to South Africa. Why? Here they know they have safety.”

P. W. Botha

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

“With the withdrawal of Britain east of the Suez and the consequent vacuum caused in the Middle East, and the stocking of arsenals in some African states by Russia and China, the dangers threatening South Africa today are greater than ever before.”

P. W. Botha

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

“The free world wants to feed South Africa to the Red Crocodile [communism], to appease its hunger.”

P. W. Botha

As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 90

Hunger , World , Communication

“… I am not prepared to build the type of wall you built in Berlin. In South Africa we only build walls for houses.”

P. W. Botha

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

Housing

“There is not an Indian community in the world that is better off than the Indians in South Africa. That is the type of apartheid that I stand for. That is the type of apartheid that is not dead.”

P. W. Botha

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

World , Communication , Dead

“I am one of those who believe that there is no permanent home for even a section of the Bantu in the white area of South Africa and the destiny of South Africa depends on this essential point. If the principle of permanent residence for the black man in the area of the white is accepted then it is the beginning of the end of civilisation as we know it in this country.”

P. W. Botha

Speaking to parliament on 11 May 1964 as Minister for Coloured Affairs, as cited in The Guardian, 7 February 2006

Home , Dependency , Country

“I have come to the realisation and conviction that the struggle in South Africa is not between White, Black and Brown, but between Christian civilized standards and the powers of chaos.”

P. W. Botha

As prime minister, Warrenton, 24 July 1982, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 23

“It should be noted that refugees are crossing the border from southern Angola to South-West Africa – not the other way round. There is no aggression from our side.”

P. W. Botha

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

Way