Transvaal party overwhelmingly backs Botha

Press, 1 March 1982, Page 9

Transvaal party overwhelmingly backs Botha

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg The South African Prime Minister (Mr Pieter Botha) has won an overwhelming vote of confidence at a crucial meeting of his ruling National Party called to decide who controlled the dominant Transvaal branch. The meeting, in Pretoria at. the week-end, was called by the rebel Cabinet Minister and Transvaal party leader, Andries Treumicht. With 21 other National members of Parliament Dr Treumicht had voted against Mr Botha in a confidence motion at a caucus meeting of' the parliamentary party last week. The vote sparked the most serious division in the Government since the National Party came to

power in 1948. Dr Treurnicht has been suspended temporarily, from his position as leader of the provincial party after receiving' the votes of only 32 of the 230 delegates at the meeting, against 172 for Mr Botha. Twenty-two of the delegates, who included the province’s National Party members of Parliament and constituency representatives, abstained. Dr Treurnicht and. three other senior party officials, also suspended after the vote, have until Wednesday to abide by the majority decision of the meeting or lose their party office. The power struggle for the Transvaal party arose from Dr Treurnicht’s opposition to

reform policies proposed by. Mr Botha. These include the proposed granting of political rights to Coloureds (people of mixed race) and Indians as part of a new Constitutional, deal. The Transvaal party, like the National Party organisations in South Africa’s three other provinces, is autonomous and whoever controls it controls not only its funds and organisation but also the loyalties of provincial party members holding Cabinet seats. Political commentators said the meeting’s outcome would almost certainly mean the end of Dr Treurnicht’s Cabinet career. He is the Minister for State Administration.