Moshoeshoe Monare and Deon De Lange
7 January 2009
DA parliamentary leader Sandra Botha has quit to take up a post as ambassador to Prague, two months before the country's elections.
Diplomatic posting has in the past been used to entice political opponents away from centre stage.
The ANC has recommended to President Kgalema Motlanthe to appoint Limpopo politician Justice Pitso - who was central to the formation of Cope in the province - as ambassador to Cuba. The move was seen as an attempt to disrupt the breakaway party.
The Cape Argus has learned from Foreign Affairs sources that Botha would be appointed ambassador to the Czech Republic.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa could not be reached for comment.
Another source said Prague - the capital of the Czech Republic and gateway to Eastern Europe - is a dream for every diplomat and is why Botha decided to ditch the DA on the eve of the crucial polls.
Botha could not be reached this morning. She was the first woman in South Africa to become leader of the official opposition in Parliament after Helen Zille chose to remain mayor of Cape Town even after she was elected DA leader.
Zille refused to disclose Botha's future career prospects.
"She is being made an offer to serve the country in another capacity. She remains deeply loyal to the DA and remains a member.
" I would have preferred her to stay and I told her so. But I cannot stand in her way if she has other ideas for her career at this stage," she said.
There were speculations of a rift between Botha and Zille shortly after the former was elected leader of the opposition.
The assumed tiff, which was based on disagreements on mundane issues such as appointments of staff, prompted the two leaders to appear together on a live radio show in a display of unity.
Botha's presence at the launch of Cope in Bloemfontein last month also fuelled speculation about her defecting. She was, however, invited as a guest to the event.
Zille dismissed the political fallout as nonsense.
"Sandra is a friend and a close colleague who has always been strongly supportive of me and to whom I could delegate the key role in parliament with confidence. I wish her very well for the next stage in her career," Zille said.
Zille said Botha's departure would not negatively affect the DA's electoral programme.
However, she admitted that Botha would have had "a very prominent place in the list" of DA's parliamentary candidates.
Botha is the second prominent DA member to take on a foreign ambassadorial post, following the appointment of former chief whip Douglas Gibson to Thailand.
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