Zuma expresses his sadness after the death of PW Botha

By Odette Ismail
03 November 2006


Deputy President Jacob Zuma has now expressed his sadness of the death of the former State President PW Botha.

Zuma did not personally extend condolences to the family due to him being abroad.

In a statement Zuma says that he will remember PW Botha in the role he played in South Africa as Head of State. He says while PW Botha was President he saw the need for change even though his need for change was controversial.

He attributes this to PW Botha’s statement telling his party and his followers that they should: “Adapt or Die”.

PW Botha informed people that they had a choice to accept the political change or live in a country isolated from the rest of the world because of Apartheid.

Zuma says this must have been hard for PW Botha as members of the National Party did not take the news too well.

He says it should also be remembered that before FW de Klerk became involved in the process, which ended up talks with the ANC, Botha sent the first emissary to meet the ANC.


It was also PW Botha says Zuma who gave permission to Justice Minister Kobie Coetzee to allow discussions with former President Nelson Mandela while he was still in prison.

Zuma ends by saying that Botha started to see the need for change during the last days of his rule.