With the retirement of Gen. van den Bergh, head of BOSS and the resignations of Prime Minister Vorster and Cabinet Minister C.P. Mulder, three of the most powerful figures in the Nationalist Party oligarchy have departed from the centre of the apartheid power structure. And the emergence of P.W. Botha as Prime Minister has led to a shift towards military dominance in government circles.
The choice of Defence Minister Botha as Prime Minister in September 1978 reflects the steadily increasing importance of the SA Defence Force in maintaining white supremacy. Just as the election of Justice Minister Vorster as Premier in 1966 signified the strengthening of internal repression through detention and imprisonment, so the promotion of Botha is indicative of preparations for an all-out onslaught against the incipient war of resistance (see FOCUS 18 p.13). It also indicates a strategic departure from the attempts to gain Western support for apartheid via covert diplomatic and propaganda methods, which have been exposed and discredited in the scandal concerning the now-disbanded Department of Information.
The Information scandal began to break in February 1978 with the Auditor-General's report on the misuse of public funds by Information Secretary Eschel Rhoodie, and gathered momentum in succeeding months with a steady stream of disclosures and rumours, which is still continuing. The strategy of using large sums of money (some R 32 million is believed to have been spent on the Citizen newspaper alone) for disguised propaganda purposes and quasi-diplomatic manoeuvres was begun in 1972 with the appointment of Dr. Rhoodie; those most closely connected with it in high positions were Dr. Mulder (Information Minister), Mr. Vorster and Gen. van den Bergh. The retirement of the last two in August and June respectively may not be entirely fortuitous despite Vorster's ill-health. Mulder's resignation in November was a direct consequence of the revelations of the Information Department's activities. Rhoodie was dismissed and the Department itself closed in June.
The role of BOSS and Gen. van den Bergh in the affair was described by one of the official investigating committees as that of central co-ordination, with the inference that van den Bergh was responsible for devising the secret strategy. According to Rapport newspaper van den Bergh was South Africa's "secret diplomat, whose unnoticed reconnaissance missions took him round the world - to North and South America, to Europe and quietly, deep into Africa, where he initiated high level dialogue". (18.6.78) BOSS appears to have been subject to some re-organisation earlier in the year: in May legislation was introduced to regulate and control its officers (Bureau of State Security Act No. 104 of 1978, 30.6.78). Its new chief, Alec van Wyk, was appointed from 1 July and the Bureau's name changed to Directorate of National Security (DONS) in September. These changes may indicate some demotion and the curtailment of its activities at a high strategic level. Whereas van den Bergh was Vorster's companion in meetings with US and other foreign representatives, it was the SADF chief Gen. Malan who attended Botha's meeting with Western Foreign Ministers in October. It was also reported that Botha's appointment as Prime Minister had enhanced the status of the Dept. of Military Intelligence (DMI) at the expense of BOSS (ST 22.10.78).
While the disclosures about the secret funding of pro-governmental agencies such as the Club of Ten, the SA Freedom Foundation and the Citizen newspaper have temporarily embarrassed apartheid's rulers, only 57 of the 138 identified secret projects are to be terminated, while the Secret Services Account (see FOCUS 16 p.16) allows for continuing funds. It is however clear from the massive military expansion which has taken place in the SADF that armed suppression of all resistance is the major plank in the strategy of the apartheid state. The current Defence budget stands at R 1554 million.
CABINET MEMBERS As from November, Cabinet members are as follows: * Prime Minister, Min. of Defence and National Security: P.W. Botha * Transport: S.L. Muller * Labour and Mines: S.P. Botha * Plural Relations and Development: P.G.J. Koornhof * Agriculture: H. Schoeman * Health, Social Welfare and Pensions: S.W. van der Merwe * Finance: Sen. O.P.F. Horwood * Economic Affairs and Planning: J.C. Heunis * Justice, Police and Prisons: J.T. Kruger * Indian Affairs and Community Development: S.J.M. Steyn * Interior and Immigration: A.L. Schlebusch * Water Affairs and Statistics: H.H. Smit * Foreign Affairs: R.F. Botha * National Education (white): W.A. Cruywagen * Telecommunications and Sport: F.W. de Klerk * Public Works and Tourism: L. le Grange * Education and Training (black): T.N.H. Janson * Deputy Plural Rels and Educn. and Training: A.P. Treurnicht * Deputy Plural Rels and Develop: W.L. Vosloo * Deputy Defence and Nat. Security: H.J. Coetsee
