Botha Reaffirms Commitment to Reform

In the face of swelling support for the government’s right-wing political opposition, President Pieter W. Botha on Thursday reiterated his commitment to step-by-step reform of apartheid and proposed that “recognized black leaders” be included in the electoral college that chooses South Africa’s president.

But Botha, in a wide-ranging policy address to Parliament in Cape Town, did not give specific proposals for black participation in the college. Under South Africa’s white minority-led government, blacks have never had a direct say in selecting the president.

Botha’s speech was seen by analysts as an attempt to show white South Africans that his ruling National Party will not buckle to increasing pressure from the extreme-right Conservative Party, the official opposition that has won three recent parliamentary by-elections and appears to be gaining support among the 5 million white voters.

Appeals for Calm, Balance

The Conservative Party has accused Botha’s government of “selling out” the whites by engaging in a program to reform apartheid.

“This beautiful country, with its wealth of diversity, deserves less negative propaganda and actions,” Botha said. “South Africa deserves more patriotism.”

He appealed to South Africans to “remain calm, restore balance and recognize each other’s rights. If we wish to live together peacefully . . . the time has come to reflect on what unites us instead of emphasizing what divides us.”

The president said he continues to support the creation of a national advisory council in which blacks and whites could negotiate and propose a new constitution. But it would have to be approved by Parliament, where the country’s 26 million blacks have no seats.

That proposal has been rejected by most prominent black leaders, including moderate Zulu chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, who say the government must first release black nationalist leaders, such as Nelson R. Mandela, from jail and lift restrictions on anti-apartheid organizations.

Zulu Title Considered

While Botha said he thinks black leaders support the principle of a national council, he added that some had asked that it be named “Indaba,” a Zulu word meaning “meeting.” “We are of the opinion that it (the Zulu name) deserves serious consideration,” he added.

Helen Suzman, of the liberal white Progressive Federal Party, criticized the president’s proposals as vague and noted that Botha gave no timetable for implementing them.

And Koos Van der Merwe, a Conservative Party member of Parliament, accused Botha of another step in abandoning the Afrikaner people, the descendants of Dutch, German and French settlers who make up the bulk of the Conservatives. The speech, he said, was “weak and meaningless, a collection of warmed-up leftovers from previous statements.”

Criticizes Church Leaders

In his speech, Botha also criticized the anti-apartheid activities of church leaders, “who go out of their way to provoke the government.”

The multi-denominational South African Council of Churches had increased its criticism of the government since the government on Feb. 25 restricted 18 anti-apartheid organizations. Botha responded with vitriolic attacks on some church leaders, and the confrontation led to the arrest and brief detention last month of Anglican Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu and several other clergymen during a protest march in Cape Town.

South Africa’s largest grouping of anti-apartheid organizations, the United Democratic Front, with an estimated membership of more than 3 million, is restricted from commenting officially on the speech because of the restrictions imposed upon it in February.