Pik Botha died a happy man after ANC elected Ramaphosa as president: Son

The late Former Foreign Affairs Minister Pik Botha died a happy man because the African National Congress (ANC) elected President Cyril Ramaphosa. His son Dr Roelof Botha said this at a memorial service for his father by the Department of International Relations.

It was attended by International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa and Former Deputy Ministers and Ambassadors

Apartheid South Africa made him Foreign Affairs Minister.  He remained patriotic at the dawn of democracy. ” He was a man of peace that is what we need in this country to this day, thank you to the ANC for electing Mr Ramaphosa, you have no idea what that means for this country and my dad realised that, close to his death he was a very happy man because of this monumental event,” says his son Dr Roelof Botha.

Minister of International Relations Lindiwe Sisulu says; “This is what Pik Botha said, we need one another, we have a responsibility to make our country the best and showing others that they can do it.”

Those who served with him before and after democracy hailed his legacy. “He said he would gladly serve under a black president,” says Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Barend Du Plessis.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa described Botha as a rebel. “Pik was a bit of a rebel which got him into trouble with his own party, a characteristic of his that I identify with, the idea that there are bigger things involved than blind loyalty to one’s party when you believe they are in the wrong.”

Ambassador to Greece Marthinus Van Schalkwyk says; “His legacy is all who were inspired by his dream.”

Fomer Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the International Relations Review Panel Aziz Pahad says Botha played an important role in Angola, Namibia and South Africa.

Botha’s most famous saying – was that South Africa is like a Zebra, whether you shoot the black or the white the animal will die. Click below for more on the story: