Mandela May Get Freedom, Botha Says : S. Africa President Cites Cooperation by Ailing Black Leader

President Pieter W. Botha said today that African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela may not have to return to prison from the hospital where he is being treated for tuberculosis.

Botha said Mandela has been cooperating with the government and he expects “positive results” from his standing offer to free the 70-year-old black leader in return for renunciation of violence.

In his speech to the provincial National Party congress in Natal, Botha did not explain what he meant by cooperation. However, it was seen as a strong suggestion of a change in the way Mandela’s case is being viewed, possibly because he is being treated for tuberculosis at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town.

Cooperation Cited

Asked what cooperation Mandela had given, Information Minister Stoffel Van der Merwe said: “For example, Mandela did not try to use the occasion (of his hospitalization last week) as a propaganda stunt.”

The outlawed African National Congress is the major guerrilla group fighting the white-ruled government and apartheid. Mandela has been in prison since 1962 and is serving a life term for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government.

“The government, in a responsible way, will consider the matter,” Botha said, “and if we get the cooperation we have so far got from Mr. Mandela, I believe we will get positive results.

“Personally, I don’t think that at his age and condition it would be wise for him to choose to go back to prison, and I hope he will make it possible for me to act in a humane way so that we can have peace in South Africa.”

Disavowal Not Expected

Van der Merwe said the government is not expecting Mandela to sign anything or even publicly disavow African National Congress’ policy, but it expected that he would not participate in or promote violent activities.

Tom Lodge, a University of Witwatersrand academic who is South Africa’s foremost expert on the congress, said in a radio interview: “I don’t think Mandela will accept anything other than unconditional release.” But he said, “If he is ill, it is unlikely that he would be involved . . . in violence.”

Van der Merwe said last month that Mandela already had served enough time for his crime and security was the the only reason he was still in prison.