Sandra Botha
Encyclopedia
Celia-Sandra Botha is a South African politician, who serves as South Africa's Ambassador to the Czech Republic
. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance and its leader, Helen Zille
. She announced her intention to step down from the position after the South African general election, 2009
, to become an ambassador.
Having matriculated from Parys High School, Botha went on to complete a year in New York with the aid of a scholarship. Later she obtained a BA degree in economics at Stellenbosch University
.
She is married to farmer and former MP Andries Johannes Botha and the couple have five children and five grandchildren. Botha embarked on a Sesotho and linguistics degree at UNISA.
Botha also became heavily involved in the anti-apartheid movement. With Helen Zille
, Botha was a part of the Black Sash
movement.
She is not related to any of the other (pro-apartheid) political Bothas of South Africa, including P.W. Botha
or Pik Botha
.
Up until she stepped down from Parliament in 2009, Botha has challenged the government on many issues. In particular, Botha was vocal about her dissatisfaction following a scandal where four white doctors in the Western Cape relocated overseas. South Africa's controversial affirmative action policies had allegedly prevented them from working in government hospitals, despite a shortage of doctors and many vacancies in the province. Then president Thabo Mbeki
denied that this was the case and rebuked Botha for making serious allegations against him based on one newspaper article.
Botha has also called for a major overhaul of the education system.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance and its leader, Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
. She announced her intention to step down from the position after the South African general election, 2009
South African general election, 2009
South Africa held national and provincial elections to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each province on 22 April 2009....
, to become an ambassador.
Early life and career
Born to an Afrikaner farming family in Viljoenskroon, Free State, as early as the 1960s, Botha convinced local farmers to employ a social worker to service the needs of the rural black families. She also held talks with the Citrus Board for further winter aid for farmworkers.Having matriculated from Parys High School, Botha went on to complete a year in New York with the aid of a scholarship. Later she obtained a BA degree in economics at Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
.
She is married to farmer and former MP Andries Johannes Botha and the couple have five children and five grandchildren. Botha embarked on a Sesotho and linguistics degree at UNISA.
Botha also became heavily involved in the anti-apartheid movement. With Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
, Botha was a part of the Black Sash
Black Sash
The Black Sash was a non-violent white women's resistance organization founded in 1955 in South Africa by Jean Sinclair. The Black Sash initially campaigned against the removal of Coloured or mixed race voters from the voters' roll in the Cape Province by the National Party government...
movement.
She is not related to any of the other (pro-apartheid) political Bothas of South Africa, including P.W. Botha
Pieter Willem Botha
Pieter Willem Botha , commonly known as "P. W." and Die Groot Krokodil , was the prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president from 1984 to 1989.First elected to Parliament in 1948, Botha was for eleven years head of the Afrikaner National Party and the...
or Pik Botha
Pik Botha
Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha is a former South African politician who served as the country's foreign minister in the last years of the apartheid era...
.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly
In May 2007, Sandra Botha was elected by the Democratic Alliance as their representative and official Leader of the Opposition. Botha gained a majority over former NP cabinet minister, Tertius Delport.Up until she stepped down from Parliament in 2009, Botha has challenged the government on many issues. In particular, Botha was vocal about her dissatisfaction following a scandal where four white doctors in the Western Cape relocated overseas. South Africa's controversial affirmative action policies had allegedly prevented them from working in government hospitals, despite a shortage of doctors and many vacancies in the province. Then president Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
denied that this was the case and rebuked Botha for making serious allegations against him based on one newspaper article.
Botha has also called for a major overhaul of the education system.