Lessons From Botha’s Life

[Angelo]

FREEDOM fighter extraordinaire Kwame Toure, also known as Stokely Carmichael, once said Africans do not speak ill of the dead. On the occasion of the death of PW Botha, Toure would probably have said: “PW Botha is dead. Good.”

I will try to give Botha justice, despite the fact that he made it his mission in life to deny the majority of the population justice. Botha was good in some respects. Yes, he was. And this is why.

Botha was genuine. He was no hypocrite. What you saw, is what you got. That is honour.

He was a race supremacist. And he behaved like one. He believed in apartheid and defended it. He enforced it with brute force. He deployed soldiers in the townships to suppress the quest for freedom.

Botha was a good oppressor. His violent suppression of all aspirations of freedom spurred those who yearned for liberation to re-double their efforts to free themselves.

He exploded the myth that there can be peaceful co-existence between the oppressed and the oppressor. He literally forced ordinary people to rebel against apartheid and fight for freedom. He perfected the apartheid killing machinery. He introduced the state of emergency, reinforced detention without trial, authorised torture and murders.

Botha was such a man of honour. He transformed the SABC into an effective propaganda tool for the apartheid regime. He was unapologetic about it. He did not hide it. He was proud of it.

He ridiculed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a circus. For him the TRC was not designed to establish the truth and foster reconciliation but to humiliate the Afrikaners. He treated it with disdain. What a man of honour.

We can learn a thing or two from Botha. Firstly, he was sincere. Unlike some in his league who went to the TRC to lie, or to plead amnesia, Botha defied pleas to get him to make submissions to the TRC.

Secondly, because he lacked the sophistication and finesse to camouflage his open hatred for objective journalism, the public did not expect much from the SABC. And in that sense, nobody took the SABC seriously.

But perhaps the greatest accolade South Africa can bestow on Botha is that he made it easier for South Africans to appreciate the new political order. You need darkness to appreciate light. You need a lemon to appreciate the sweetness of an orange. You need evil to appreciate good.

Now we know that it is wrong for the state to turn its guns on its people. We know it is wrong to send soldiers to curb school boycotts. It is wrong to detain suspects without trial. We know violence can never quench the thirst for freedom. We know a country can never secure its borders by conducting military raids on its neighbours. And all these thanks to Botha.

He was a man of his word. A man of honour.

Botha showed the world that racism is not compatible with capitalism. It is like spicing stew with bile. Botha’s apartheid marginalised the majority of the market. It focused on less than 20% by equipping it with education and thus making it viable. We now know that it would have benefited capitalism to educate the entire population.

Even in death, Botha has done what he has dedicated his entire life towards – protecting the interests of the whites. He is described as the last icon of apartheid. What does this mean? It means that apartheid is dead and will be buried this week. No more talk about apartheid.

Judging from the media reports after his death, one can be tempted to assume that Botha acted alone.

But the truth is that Botha was part of a system that advanced white interests and suppressed black aspirations.

One of the biggest problems in our country is that we all want to be politically correct. We want to agree. We paper over cracks. We are too scared to speak out our feelings. We are hypocrites.

As an outspoken white supremacist, Botha has left a vacuum.

http://www.news24.com/City_Press/Columnists/0,,186-1695_2025448,00.html

 

[Daniedj]

At least with Botha, you knew where you stood in the grander scheme if things. Unlike now where do we as whites fit in. Are we the gears keeping the economy running? And expendable?

 

[Getafix]

http://www.news24.com/City_Press/Columnists/0,,186-1695_2025448,00.html

What a load of rubbish.

(text deleted by mod/antowan)

 

[neio]

Yes, I agree, at least Botha was an honest man who stood with what he believed in, even tho it was wrong, unlike our current leaders who kiss white arse each time they want something to line their pockets or want to be re-elected by the great unwashed masses.

 

[Getafix]

What else will PW be blamed for..?

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=309939

Now common thugs kill their own kind for absolutely nothing barring straight forward evillness. They are nothing but a waste of human skin.

Give the ANC a chance. Look at this:

Many of our encounters were affairs sodden in rivers of intoxicating beverages and explosive political talk, as you can tell from the above-mentioned nicknames; everyone was apprehensive about who was going to be detained next, or who was to be on the receiving end of the state’s tear gas.

Paddy Harper has written a thorough obituary on Mngomezulu elsewhere in this paper, but I could not help but note that our friend has died in almost the same week as P W Botha, his nemesis.

Mngomezulu died last Friday, just days before the man who made corpses of our friends and comrades, a president who turned many of us innocent students and budding journalists into reluctant activists, sometimes robbing us of the focus that we needed in our studies so we could contribute to the future development of this country.

Ironically, Botha, the perpetrator of violence, died peacefully in old age, while his victim, a detainee during Botha’s time, died violently, once again a victim of the violence engendered by Botha in the psyche of this nation.

The seeds of hatred and violence that were planted by Botha through his successive states of emergency in the ’80s have ripened. We are today reaping a sad harvest of thorns. Psychologically, we are the spawn of PW. Over the years we have been taught to resolve differences through violence, thanks to the man who reigned over the most violent era in the genesis of this country.

S’gwadi was last Friday stabbed to death by thugs who wanted his cellphone, laptop and shoes. Just like that! This wasn’t a random act of violence. It is reflective of the times we live in, the values — if we can use such a word — that we embrace.

Whatever happens, blame appartheid, PW, the previous government and all the barbaric things that happen is all of a sudden fine.

You will not convince me. A evil person stays a evil person, no matter how many excuses you utter, how many other people you blame, you should be taken out of the community.

For ever.

 

[Daniedj]

The thing about being good or evil is that is seems nobody thinks they are evil, even if they are killing people by the thousands or stealing R20 from the petty cash. Everyone is basically out to cover their own skin. Only then to look out for your "own" people and then the rest.

History will tell what we thought of Botha, just like history will tell us about Bush and Hitler.

 

[Getafix]

Mngomezulu died last Friday, just days before the man who made corpses of our friends and comrades, a president who turned many of us innocent students and budding journalists into reluctant activists, sometimes robbing us of the focus that we needed in our studies so we could contribute to the future development of this country.

It seems PW was the bad, bad fairy.

He swished his wand and the author of this piece and his comrades turned into corpses. Those that survived was the targets of teargas where they were doing absolutely nothing, in fact, innocent students and budding journalists.

Or is this closer to the truth?:

Were they not part of those cowards who would come into towns and cities in their hudreds, throwing stones, looting and causing damage to everything in sight as far as they went?

Trying to make SA ungovernable?

Or was that the miserable whites?

Maybe this "journalist" should have used his foreign bursary better and concentrated on his studies. Then he might have become a respected journalist.

 

[kilo39]

One of the biggest problems in our country is that we all want to be politically correct. We want to agree. We paper over cracks. We are too scared to speak out our feelings. We are hypocrites.

Where on this forum do we paper over the cracks? The only people who paper over the cracks, don't even see the cracks is this government, epitomised by people like: Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Charles Nqakula (both guilty of far more deaths than botha ever was.) Who be the hypocrites here?

But perhaps the greatest accolade South Africa can bestow on Botha is that he made it easier for South Africans to appreciate the new political order. You need darkness to appreciate light. You need a lemon to appreciate the sweetness of an orange. You need evil to appreciate good.

Oh, we ask, where today is the greater evil?

Carmichael saw nonviolence as a tactic as opposed to a principle, which separated him from moderate civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr.. He was critical of civil rights leaders who simply called for integration of African Americans into the existing institutions of white middle class culture. Carmichael saw this as unrealistic and an insult to the culture and identity of African Americans.
-
In 1969, Carmichael and his then-wife, the South African singer, Miriam Makeba, moved to Guinea, in West Africa, and he became an aide to Guinean prime minister, Ahmed Sékou Touré. There, in 1971, he wrote the book, Stokely Speaks: Black Power Back to Pan-Africanism. This book expounds an explicitly socialist, Pan-African vision, which he retained for the rest of his life. In 1978, he changed his name to Kwame Ture to honor African leaders Kwame Nkrumah and Ahmed Sékou Touré.
-
Stokely Carmichael is credited for coining the phrase institutional racism. Institutional racism (or structural racism or systemic racism) is a form of racism that occurs in institutions such as public bodies and corporations, including universities. In the late 1960s he defined the term as "the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin".
Stokely Carmichael

and...

Ahmed Sékou Touré
In his home country, Sékou Touré was a strong president, to the point
that some consider him to have been a dictator. The opposition was noted as saying that the government put pressure on them, mainly in the form of fear of detention camps and secret police. His detractors often had two choices--say nothing or go abroad. From 1965 to 1975 he ended all his relations with France, the former colonial power. Sékou Touré argued that Africa had lost a lot during colonization, and that Africa ought to retaliate by cutting off ties to former colonial nations.
-
During his presidency Sékou Touré was generally well respected among Guineans, although this is hard to tell given that during elections he did not have meaningful opposition since most of it, at any given point, was jailed. This has led to considerable criticism for failing to institute meaningful democracy. Touré's control extended to the media

Tap, tap: excuse me sir but have you noticed it's 2006? The 21st Century? 50 years after colonialism? (and many whites in this country have no other home; many have been here longer than their esteemed brothers, the black people.) I suggest get with the program, look out the window - the only people suppressing blacks and perpetrating violence on blacks (including horrific slow painful deaths) is other black people, epitomised by this government.

When are you going to wake up and see the light (that nobody is suppressing you, except you?)

 

[DigitalSoldier]

Where on this forum do we paper over the cracks? The only people who paper over the cracks, don't even see the cracks is this government, epitomised by people like: Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Charles Nqakula (both guilty of far more deaths than botha ever was.) Who be the hypocrites here?

Off topic but anyone else saw the sowetan last week about a black women who died after using Manto's cure aids treatment ?

 

[IanC]

Tap, tap: excuse me sir but have you noticed it's 2006? The 21st Century? 50 years after colonialism?

You might want to tap a little louder ... Africa seems to be rushing headlong towards a new form of colonialism with China.

 

[VAG]

PW made quite an impact if he can still get people worked up. Just shows you the great leadership. Who can remember what Mandela did except for getting out of jail? Who remembers what Mbeki does except for being out of the country every second week?

 

[Omac]

PW made quite an impact if he can still get people worked up. Just shows you the great leadership. Who can remember what Mandela did except for getting out of jail? Who remembers what Mbeki does except for being out of the country every second week?

I do hope that this was sarcasm!

If not -

So VAG, what did PW say that impressed you? In what way did he impress you with his great leadership?

I remember pres Mandela's saying that he would die for a democratic SA. I remember Mbeki praising FW's contribution to democracy at the Presidents Cup, in a fantastic display of reconciliation. It may all have been diplomatic but they said it and I remember.

 

[DigitalSoldier]

I do hope that this was sarcasm!

If not -

So VAG, what did PW say that impressed you? In what way did he impress you with his great leadership?

I remember pres Mandela's saying that he would die for a democratic SA. I remember Mbeki praising FW's contribution to democracy at the Presidents Cup, in a fantastic display of reconciliation. It may all have been diplomatic but they said it and I remember.

I remember Mandela singing in 1992 kill all the white people

And I had still kind of have a lot of respect for the man but after i saw that not that much respect anymore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKiePbTcAfY

 

[Omac]

I remember Mandela singing in 1992 kill all the white people

Anything else or is your memory selective.

 

[DigitalSoldier]

Anything else or is your memory selective.

Just mentioning as you also mentioned only the selective parts

 

[Omac]

Just mentioning as you also mentioned only the selective parts

Fair enough.

I hear you, but read VAGs' post again. I do think he should backup a statement like that. He must be the only person in the nation who's only memory of pres Mandela is him leaving jail.

Edit: Dmn vid just won't play. I dunno why!

Also, telkom gets us worked up. Does that mean telkom show great leadership in the telcoms area?

 

[VAG]

Well for one he fought against communism penetrating this country until certain people stabbed him in the back. Stood up against murderers, rapists, robbers, etc. Anyone caught of corruption was fired out of Parliament not like today when you part of a corruption deal you in the running to become the next president. It almost looks like any crime committed now was part of the struggle and the cause of the crime was apartheid. I also feel sorry for him when he had so much pressure from overseas where propaganda was at the order of the day and make overseas people believe black people was treated worse than animals. Does anyone question today how white people gets treated in S.A.

So the only thing that I will remember is him getting out of jail and let the masses make the choices how this country gets govern. Imagine a company gets run by the employee's, it can only be disastrous.

 

[Omac]

Well for one he fought against communism penetrating this country until certain people stabbed him in the back.

So you also believed the propoganda "rooi/swart gevaar". Turns out some of it's bad but not anything like what we were made to believe by your mates' scare tactics. He also didn't like us english speakers too much but he needed us to drum up the numbers.

Stood up against murderers, rapists, robbers, etc. Anyone caught of corruption was fired out of Parliament not like today when you part of a corruption deal you in the running to become the next president.

The national party government IMO was very, very corrupt. Certainly no better than our current government. Don't forget that it was an "good old boy club". Can you say broederbond? But yes their control of crime was far better. I don't think it was as a result of pw directly tho.

It almost looks like any crime committed now was part of the struggle and the cause of the crime was apartheid.

Agreed. Using the past to justify violent crime is abhorrent. There is no justification.

I also feel sorry for him when he had so much pressure from overseas where propaganda was at the order of the day and make overseas people believe black people was treated worse than animals.

They most certainly were treated like animals and in many instances worse. pw Was evil. I do not feel the littlist bit sorry for him.

Does anyone question today how white people gets treated in S.A.

Have you read through many of the threads & posts in this forum?

So the only thing that I will remember is him getting out of jail and let the masses make the choices how this country gets govern.

Your choice. You clearly would rather only you have a say. Sorry, you have to vote along with the rest of us. Or do you rather want to disenfranchise your fellow countrymen.

Imagine a company gets run by the employee's, it can only be disastrous.

Sounds like communism to me!
It's is this way in every democratic country. It's called universal franchise. It's not perfect. None are. But at least we can call it democracy.That sounds very much like a "baas" mentality statement. Are you suggesting that the white folks are not employees in this country?

Keep your hero's.

 

[Darth Garth]

I also feel sorry for him when he had so much pressure from overseas where propaganda was at the order of the day and make overseas people believe black people was treated worse than animals.

Oh my gosh ... we have a genuine Apartheid denier in our midst .

 

[Koos Custodiet]

He ridiculed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a circus.

Well... erm... yes.

And in that sense, nobody took the SABC seriously.

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

It is wrong to detain suspects without trial.

Oooh, quick, someone tell Chuckie!

He is described as the last icon of apartheid. What does this mean? It means that apartheid is dead and will be buried this week. No more talk about apartheid.

Good. This is something I can live with. No more using apartheid as an excuse? Works for me.

Now, before someone pounces on me and accuse me of defending PW, I'm part of the generation that helped get rid of the dragon. But this reporter needs a bit of a reality check I'm afraid.

Koos

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