„South Africa is not a jellyfish and is in many respects a swordfish.“
Speaking to the House of Assembly on 28 April 1986, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
Zitate von Pieter Willem Botha
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Pieter Willem Botha
Geburtstag: 12. Januar 1916
Todesdatum: 31. Oktober 2006
Pieter Willem Botha , in Südafrika allgemein bekannt als PW oder – wegen seiner hartnäckigen Verfolgung politischer Gegner – als Die Groot Krokodil , war von 1978 bis 1984 Premierminister Südafrikas und Staatspräsident der Republik Südafrika von 1984 bis 1989.
Zitate Pieter Willem Botha
„It's a psychological onslaught, an economic one, a diplomatic one, a military onslaught – a total onslaught.“
Speaking to the House of Assembly on 17 April 1978, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, November 5, 2006
„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.“
As prime minister, Warrenton, 24 July 1982, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 23
„Because you could not translate the word apartheid into the more universal language of English, the wrong connotation was given to it.“
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 22
„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.“
Speaking to parliament on 11 May 1964 as Minister for Coloured Affairs, as cited in The Guardian, 7 February 2006
„The fact is that the Westminster system has not worked anywhere in Africa – not even in England because the Scots and Welsh are moving away from it.“
As Minister of Defence, Port Elizabeth NP Congress, 20 September 1976, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 49
„Knowing [Mandela] will start up with violence again, I, as a responsible head of state, must release him so that he can carry on with his violence, and then arrest him? What a nonsensical argument.“
As State President in the House of Delegates, 23 April 1986, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 86
„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.“
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
„The separation of races happened long before the Nationalist Government. God separated the races.“
As prime minister to an Austrian journalist during a European tour, 3 September 1984, as cited in The Star, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 24
„I never have the nagging doubt of wondering whether perhaps I am wrong.“
As quoted in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 285
„No Prime Minister before me has been attacked more viciously than I am today.“
At an election meeting in Pietermaritzburg on 30 April 1987, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 19
„Half a century ago in this court I was sworn in as the Member of Parliament for George. And here I am today … I am not better than General De Wet. I am not better than President Steyn. Like them I stand firm in my principles. I can do no different. So help me God.“
As cited in Country of My Skull, Antjie Krog, Random House, p. 270
„Many refugees – white, brown and black – flee to South Africa. Why? Here they know they have safety.“
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
„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.“
As cited in Dictionary of South African Quotations, Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Penguin Books 1994, p. 11
„Mandela has overstepped the mark. He has broken the law. The judiciary of this country has put him where he belongs according to the rules of democracy.“
As Prime Minister at a National Party meeting in Stellenbosch, 10 April 1980, as cited in PW Botha in his own words, Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, p. 85
„We are a strong country in a rather sick world. … Our problems are not so much racial as radicals wish to make them.“
As Prime Minister in a Business Week interview, USA, 4 April 1982, as cited in the Sunday Express, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 15, 41
„We do not know what tomorrow will bring. We are not prophets. This is a step in the dark. We can only proceed into the future with faith.“
As prime minister, introducing the 4th Amendment to the Constitution Bill, 23 May 1980, which envisaged a tricameral corporate federation. Cited in The Star, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1987, PW Botha in his own words, p. 27
„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.“
Speaking to the House of Assembly on February 20, 1981, as cited by Andrew Donaldson, Sunday Times, 5 November 2006
„… I am not prepared to build the type of wall you built in Berlin. In South Africa we only build walls for houses.“
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
„Where in the whole wide world today can you find a more just society than South Africa has?“
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
