Word: bothas
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...rival segments within the party, had remained in the race until the end. As the 172-member party caucus proceeded through two rounds of secret balloting, tension mounted in the crowd gathered outside Capetown's white-columned senate building. Finally the doors opened: Defense Minister Pieter W. ("P.W.") Botha, 62, an uncompromising hardliner, had been chosen to succeed retiring Prime Minister John Vorster...
...Botha prepared to give his acceptance speech, the crowd broke into a chant: "We want Pik, we want Pik. . ." They were shouting for Roelof F. ("Pik") Botha, 46, South Africa's ebullient, relatively liberal Foreign Minister, and no relation to P.W. To an august body that views its deliberations as if they involved the affairs of God rather than those of men, the jeers were alarming-like rocks thrown through a stained-glass window. Moreover, this unseemly challenge to Nationalist orthodoxy underscored the vicious factional infighting that had taken place during the succession battle...
There was no doubt that Pik Botha was the public favorite. An opinion poll of South African whites the week before the caucus had shown him leading by 83% over the other two candidates. He was also reputedly Vorster's choice for Prime Minister. But Pik's popularity -and his junior status as a minister appointed only 18 months ago-rankled his colleagues. In the end, he was forced to drop out, after receiving only 22 votes on the first ballot...
...contenders to replace Vorster include Pieter W. Botha, the hard-line defense minister; Connie Mulder, the conservative minister of plural relations (racial affairs); Labor Minister Fanie Botha and Foreign Minister Roelof F. Botha. None of the three Bothas are related...
...Western plan had been accepted by South Africa in April. Last week South African Foreign Minister R.F. ("Pik") Botha cautiously called SWAPO's acceptance a development that "could herald a new era in southern Africa." Some South African officials, however, remain skeptical about whether SWAPO guerrillas are genuinely prepared to enter into peaceable rivalry with Namibia's only other major political force, the moderate, white-aligned Democratic Turnhalle Alliance...