South Africa 1978

• PW Botha succeeded Vorster as prime minister in 1978
• Botha was determined to maintain white rule in the face of increasing threats to the regime at home and abroad - called this ‘total onslaught’ and blamed communists (thus helping to get support from the West)
• He realised that he would need to make some reforms to apartheid, but also maintain strong and aggressive control
• Ironically, extreme white supremacists criticised him for making some concessions to bolster the regime
• 4 threats:

  • Threats from Internal Uprisings
  • Threat of Invasion
  • Threat from the USSR (Russia)
  • Threats from International Sanctions