Apartheid-era foreign affairs minister Pik Botha has died

Pik Botha, former South African foreign minister, listens to questions from members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on October 14 1997 at hearings in Johannesburg.
Pik Botha, former South African foreign minister, listens to questions from members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on October 14 1997 at hearings in Johannesburg.
Image: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP

Apartheid-era foreign affairs minister Pik Botha has died at the age of 86, it was confirmed on Friday.

His son Roelof Botha confirmed to eNCA his father died at his Pretoria home on Thursday night. He was admitted to a Pretoria hospital in late September.

He served as foreign affairs minister in the last years of the apartheid government and served as minister of mineral and energy affairs under Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president.

Botha retired from politics in 1996 when the National Party withdrew from the government of national unity.

In 2000, he announced that he would join the ANC.

subscribe

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.