Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Die Groot Krokodil is no more
This morning we woke to the news that former State President of Apartheid South Africa, P.W. Botha, had passed away in his sleep last night at around 20h00.Listening to Cape Talk radio this afternoon, I heard Pieter Dirk-Uys, who has over the years focused much attention on the finger-wagging politician, saying that he has now lost his "brood en Botha" - further, not many people were really sorry at his passing. But who can blame them?
Right to the end he continued to be defiant, and as he had refused to be part of the TRC, to help the NPA with enquiries, or even publicly state that he was sorry for what happened in South Africa under his rule, I too am not sorry.
When a man such as Nelson Mandela, who had 27-years taken away from him, can embrace his former jailers, can forgive those who wronged him, how can we respect one who does not even admit he was wrong, and accept that his decisions destroyed the hopes of many?
My feelings go out to his family; he was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and probably a great-grandfather, and they will feel the loss. I am sure he was a different man to them.
There'll be no crocodile tears here for the old Groot Krokodil.
