Pieter Willem Botha Biography

Pieter Willem Botha is born near Paul Roux.

The future prime minister and state president is born.

Enters student politics while studying in Bloemfontein.

Begins law studies at the University of the Orange Free State.

Leaves university to work as a National Party organiser.

Begins full-time political activity for the Afrikaner nationalist movement.

Wins election to Parliament for the constituency of George.

Enters national politics as the National Party takes power.

Is appointed deputy minister of internal affairs by Verwoerd.

Joins the executive government after a decade in Parliament.

Enters Cabinet as minister of community development and Coloured affairs.

Administers policies connected with apartheid urban restructuring.

Expands his administrative standing inside the National Party government.

Takes responsibility for the public works portfolio.

Becomes leader of the National Party in the Cape Province.

Builds a strong provincial base within the governing party.

Is appointed minister of defence after Verwoerd's premiership.

Begins fourteen years directing South African defence policy.

Supports South African military intervention during the Angolan civil war.

Advocates a stronger campaign against Soviet-backed forces in Angola.

Becomes leader of the House of Assembly.

Strengthens his position among senior National Party politicians.

Takes control of government during the Information Scandal.

Takes control of the governing party during the Information Scandal.

Becomes leader of the National Party alongside the premiership.

Wins the National Party leadership contest after Vorster resigns.

Defeats rival candidates during the National Party leadership contest.

Takes control of both the governing party and premiership.

Is elected prime minister after John Vorster resigns.

Becomes prime minister after John Vorster resigns.

Relinquishes the defence portfolio after fourteen years.

Remains prime minister while Magnus Malan becomes defence minister.

Leads the National Party to another parliamentary election victory.

Retains a commanding white parliamentary majority.

Wins overwhelming Transvaal party support for his policy direction.

Defeats Andries Treurnicht's challenge over constitutional reform.

Sees right-wing National Party dissidents form the Conservative Party.

Consolidates control after opponents reject his reform proposals.

Wins a white referendum on the proposed tricameral constitution.

Wins the white referendum on a new constitution.

Secures approval for constitutional restructuring excluding Black voters.

Secures approval for a tricameral parliamentary system.

Signs a non-aggression accord with Mozambique.

Seeks limits on cross-border support for armed opposition movements.

Black South Africans remain excluded from national parliamentary representation.

The new tricameral constitutional system comes into force.

Becomes executive State President under the new constitution.

Is elected South Africa's first executive state president.

The office of prime minister is abolished.

The premiership is abolished under the new constitution.

Offers Nelson Mandela release if he renounces political violence.

Mandela rejects the condition in a statement read publicly.

Expands detention and censorship powers amid nationwide political unrest.

Declares a state of emergency in selected districts.

Allows the 1985 state of emergency to lapse.

The respite from emergency rule lasts only several months.

Security forces receive extensive powers of detention and censorship.

Declares a nationwide state of emergency.

Leads the National Party to victory in the white election.

Retains government despite stronger Conservative Party opposition.

Temporarily steps back from presidential duties during recovery.

Suffers a stroke that weakens his political position.

F W de Klerk subsequently succeeds him as party leader.

Resigns as National Party leader after his stroke.

Meets imprisoned Nelson Mandela at Tuynhuys.

The meeting signals growing contact between government and Mandela.