Operation on Pik Botha a success

Pretoria – Former foreign minister Pik Botha, 72, was successfully operated on for cancer yesterday and has undergone tests to establish what further action is needed.

A spokesman for the Unitas Hospital here said the test results would be known on Saturday. Botha will remain in hospital for up to 10 days.

A long-time foreign minister in the National Party government and a minister of mineral and energy affairs in the coalition government of 1994, Botha had a tumour and the right side of his colon removed in a two-hour operation.

The procedure was described by the surgeon as “uneventful”. – Sapa