Word: bothas
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Shackled by a national state of emergency and pinned under the bullying, finger-wagging rule of State President P.W. Botha, South Africa has long lain at the edge of despotism. Last week Botha pushed it over the line. Declaring himself fully recovered from the stroke he suffered in January, he reclaimed his position as head of state, in defiance of resolutions by the National Party's parliamentary and provincial organizations. Since he resigned as leader of the party last month and is not a member of Parliament or the . Cabinet, the chief executive is now accountable...
...Botha, 73, had been on sick leave for two weeks when he astonished the country on Feb. 2 by giving up his leadership of the National Party. After the Transvaal province leader, Frederik W. de Klerk, 53, was elected to succeed him on the same day, puzzled party chiefs finally concluded that Botha was signaling his intention to retire. So they were shocked once again by Botha's televised announcement that he would be returning to work on March 15. In a rapid series of meetings, the Nationalists resolved that the positions of party leader and State President should...
Shortly after suffering a stroke three weeks ago, South African State President P.W. Botha gave every indication he would soon resume power. But last week Botha, 73, who was partly paralyzed by his illness, surprised even his closest colleagues by abruptly resigning as leader of the ruling National Party. He stays on, however, as President until elections, expected by summer...
...caucus quickly elected Frederik W. de Klerk, 52, to replace Botha. Party leader of the populous Transvaal province and Education Minister in Botha's Cabinet, De Klerk has been heir apparent for the past seven years. He is a conservative and an apartheid advocate, a younger, more articulate version of P.W. Botha and, like him, happy with a glacial pace of "reform" that nonetheless maintains minority white control...
...Klerk is now the clear favorite to assume the job of State President when Botha steps down after leading the party to victory at the polls. Because splitting the duties of the two offices holds the potential for conflict, Botha's move increased speculation that he will call for elections sooner rather than later...