Botha of Spades

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Botha of Spades (1981)

Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha (born April 27, 1932 in Rustenburg , Transvaal ; † October 12, 2018 in Pretoria ) was a South African diplomat and politician ( National Party ). From 1977 to 1994 he was South Africa's Foreign Minister and then Minister for Natural Resources and Energy .

Career

After studying philosophy and law in Pretoria , he worked in the foreign service from 1953 , including in Sweden and Germany . In 1965/66 he represented the South African government as legal advisor on issues relating to South West Africa before the International Court of Justice in The Hague . From 1968 to 1970 he took the position of Undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . He was then elected to the National Assembly for the National Party.

From 1974 Botha was permanent representative of the South African government at the UN and since 1975 ambassador to the United States . After he was elected to parliament in 1977, he was appointed Foreign Minister in May of that year. On the one hand, 'Pik' Botha always advocated the peaceful solution of all problems in South Africa and the end of the long-standing apartheid policy , on the other hand he was considered one of the main representatives of the so-called “separate development” of “non-whites” and “whites” in the state with “separate freedom ". In 1986 he caused a sensation when he said that one day he could imagine a black president in South Africa; he was immediately reprimanded by then President Pieter Willem Botha .

From 1994 to 1996 he was Minister for Natural Resources and Energy in the Government of National Unity under Nelson Mandela .

family

Botha had four children with his first wife Helena (1932–1996), including the rock musician Piet Botha . In 1998 he married for the second time. Pik Botha was not related to the former South African President Pieter Willem Botha .

Others

Botha's nickname Pik is the short form of the Afrikaans word “Pikkewyn”, German “Penguin”, because Botha is said to have resembled a penguin, especially in a suit.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Former foreign affairs minister Pik Botha dies. In: News24. October 12, 2018, accessed October 12, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Roelof Frederik 'Pik' Botha. In: South African History Project. February 17, 2011, accessed October 12, 2018 .
  3. ^ Tributes pour in for former foreigm affairs minister Pik Botha. In: timeslive.co.za . October 12, 2018, accessed October 12, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Piet Botha's website , accessed on October 12, 2018.
  5. ↑ J. Brooks Spector: Roelof Pik Botha, the ultimate survivor. In: Daily Maverick . September 2, 2011, accessed October 12, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Botha, spades
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Botha, Roelof Frederick
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African politician
DATE OF BIRTH April 27, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Rustenburg , Transvaal
DATE OF DEATH October 12, 2018
Place of death Pretoria