PW Botha
South Africa, Cape Town · 1984-11-02
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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front
This cover is postmarked on 2 November 1984 in Cape Town, with a special postmark marking the State President and featuring a medal design. It carries the South Africa definitive issue portraying P.W. Botha as State President, SAC 575, issued to mark his installation in South Africa's newly created executive presidency. The cover falls only weeks after Botha's formal installation on 14 September 1984, a role that combined the previously separate offices of Prime Minister and ceremonial State President into a single executive position for the first time in South African history. Before taking up this new office he had already served as the country's Minister of Defence for fourteen years and as Prime Minister since 1978.
Description of the Cachet
THE STATE PRESIDENT, MR P. W. BOTHA, DMS Pieter Willem Botha was born in the Paul Roux district, Orange Free State, on 12 January 1916. He received his school education at Paul Roux and Bethlehem, and studied law at the University of the Orange Free State. He was secretary or chairman of various student societies. At the age of twenty he became an organizer of the National Party in the Cape Province. On 13 March 1943 he married Anna Elizabeth Rossouw. They have three daughters, two sons and ten grandchildren. From 1946 to 1948 he was Union Information Officer of the National Party's Federal Council. In the 1948 general election he became Member of Parliament for George. After his service as Union Information Officer he was Secretary of the National Party in the Cape Province for 10 years. During 1958 he was appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior and in 1961 he was appointed Minister of Community Development and of Coloured Affairs. During 1964 he also became Minister of Public Works. From April 1966 to October 1980 he was Minister of Defence and in 1966 he was unanimously elected Leader of the National Party in the Cape Province. He was also appointed member of the Board of Directors of the National Press Limited. In January 1975 he was appointed Leader of the House of Assembly, a position he held until 1978 when he became the eighth Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa and also handled the portfolio National Intelligence Service. During March 1967 a Portuguese decoration was awarded to him. The Decoration for Meritorious Service was also awarded to him in 1976 and in 1979 he received the decoration "Star of South Africa". He also received decorations of Paraguay, an African State and Taiwan. He was awarded Honorary Doctorates by the Universities of Stellenbosch and the Orange Free State. The Old-Students' Association of the University of the Orange Free State elected him as the Old Student for the year 1983. In 1984 he was unanimously elected Chancellor of the University of Stellenbosch. He is an Honorary Citizen of 21 cities and towns. He enjoys reading, horse-riding, small game hunting and walking. On 5 September 1984 Pieter Willem Botha was unanimously elected first Executive State President of the Republic of South Africa, and he was installed in this office on 14 September 1984. DIE STAATSPRESIDENT, MNR P. W. BOTHA, DVD Pieter Willem Botha is op 12 Januarie 1916 in die distrik Paul Roux, Oranje-Vrystaat, gebore. Sy skoolopleiding het hy op Paul Roux en Bethlehem ontvang, en hy studeer in die regte aan die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat. Hy was sekretaris of voorsitter van verskeie studenteverenigings. Op 20-jarige ouderdom het hy 'n organiseerder van die Nasionale Party in Kaapland geword. Op 13 Maart 1943 is hy met Anna Elizabeth Rossouw getroud. Hulle het twee seuns, drie dogters en tien kleinkinders. Van 1946 tot 1948 was hy ook Unie Inligtingsbeampte van die Nasionale Party se Federale Raad. Tydens die algemene verkiesing van 1948 het hy Volksraadslid vir George geword. Na sy uittrede as Uniale Inligtingsbeampte was hy 10 jaar lank sekretaris van die Kaaplandse Nasionale Party. In 1958 is hy as Adjunk-minister van Binnelandse Sake aangestel, in 1961 as Minister van Gemeenskapsbou en van Kleurlingsake en in 1964 ook as Minister van Openbare Werke. Vanaf April 1966 tot Oktober 1980 was hy Minister van Verdediging en in 1966 is hy tot Leier van die Nasionale Party van Kaapland verkies asook as lid van die Raad van Direkteure van die Nasionale Pers Beperk. In Januarie 1975 is hy as Leier van die Volksraad aangewys, 'n posisie wat hy beklee het totdat hy in September 1978 die agtste Eerste Minister van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika geword het. Daarby ingelyf was die portefeulje Nasionale Intelligensiediens. In Maart 1967 is 'n Portugese dekorasie aan hom toegeken. Die Dekorasie vir Voortreflike Diens is in Mei 1976 aan hom toegeken en in November 1979 die dekorasie "Ster van Suid-Afrika". Verskeie ander dekorasies, soos byvoorbeeld dekorasies van Paraguay, 'n Afrikastaat en Taiwan, is aan hom toegeken. Hy het eredoktorsgrade van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en die Oranje-Vrystaat ontvang; die oud-Kovsiebond van die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat het hom tot oud-Kovsie vir 1983 aangewys. In 1984 is hy eenparig as Kanselier van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gekies. Hy is 'n ereburger van 21 stede en dorpe. Sy stokperdjies is lees, perdry, kleinwildjag en wandelings. Pieter Willem Botha is op 5 September 1984 eenparig tot die eerste Uitvoerende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika verkies en hy is op 14 September 1984 in dié amp bevestig.
Information Card
The cachet is a gold foil coat of arms, centred with the initials "S" and "P" above it. Two supporting animal figures flank a shield, drawn in fine gold linework against the cream background. The shield itself is divided into sections depicting figures, an animal, a tree and a wagon, with a scroll bearing a Latin motto beneath. Below the coat of arms sits a facsimile of the State President's signature in black ink, followed by "Staatspresident · State President" in bold text, then the motto "'Met waagmoed en geloof vorentoe'" and its English translation "'Forward with courage and faith'".
Theme: Heritage
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.6 (ZAR)
SAPO serial number: 4.9(a)
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 248 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
