The complete lack of perspective and context of events that surrounds the reports of Pik Botha's flurry of diplomacy in Angola is beyond belief.
Hailed as a hero of the peace process, the question of South Africa's role in arming, training and assisting Unita in the war that has ravaged Angola is not even alluded to.
Angola stands on the brink of resumption of conflict, and every effort to stave this off should be supported. But it is clear that the MPLA won the elections by a substantial majority. Pik Botha clearly wants to broker a deal that will give Pretoria's Angolan ally real power in a multi-party government. He is pushing hard for a power sharing deal which will ignore the detail of the election results, and give the "major players" an equal stake in government.
Pik Botha is arguing for equal representation in a government by Unita and MPLA. Under his proposals, each would have 40% representation in the executive, with the remaining 20% shared between some of the 18 smaller parties contesting the elections.
A deal arising out of such manipulation of elections results indicates the kind of precedent the National Party would like to see in South Africa, especially as Pik Botha spoke of the need for a government of national unity in Angola as an example for the region and for "us down here".
This is laying a basis for gerrymandering of election results that will create serious doubts as to whether the National Party and its allies will accept the results of a free and fair election. This should be of grave concern for all South Africans, and emphasises the urgency with which an independent Electoral Commission should be created, and the speed with which we need to move to an election for a Constituent Assembly.
Issued by:
Department of Information and Publicity
PO Box 61884
Marshalltown 2107
25 October, 1992