SOUTH AFRICA: The Not-So-Favorite Choice

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In that post, he was an outspoken hawk on military matters. He was responsible for South Africa's commitment of troops in the Angolan civil war in 1975, and championed its aggressive border war against militant nationalists of the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO) in Namibia (South West Africa). He played a key role in South Africa's rejection two weeks ago of the United Nations plan for granting Namibia independence, a policy he is now unlikely to change, even at the risk of U.N.-imposed economic sanctions. Foreign observers hoped that the swing votes of Pik Botha's supporters might have a liberalizing effect on policymaking within the Cabinet. Others feared that Mulder's strong showing would put pressure on P.W. to hew to an unremittingly hard line and not compromise.

Optimists searching for some sign that being Prime Minister might soften Botha's positions a little noted that this dour, seemingly unimaginative Afrikaner has repeatedly told friends, in strongly emotional terms, that his mother and sister were saved from English marauders during the Boer War by a colored woman who took them in. In some instances, he has favored apartheid reforms, as in theaters and in the military. But pressed last week to elaborate on his stand on racial discrimination, Botha would say only, "I intend to carry out the policy of my party." In South African terms, that is shorthand for no change in the government's racial position.