Vorster to quit soon, says S.A. paper

Press, 28 May 1979, Page 9

Vorster to quit soon, says S.A. paper

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg

South Africa's “Sunday Express” newspaper said yesterday that President John Vorster was expected to resign in the next few weeks, after only nine months in office.

In a front-page article, it predicted that by July Mr Vorster would be succeeded as President by the Minister of Transport (Mr Louwerns Muller). The “Sunday Express” said Mr Vorster, who was elected President last year after relinquishing his 12year Prime Ministership on the ground of ill-health, would again give health reasons for his retirement. The President was admitted to hospital in Cape Town on Friday for a checkup. Mr Vorster recently denied allegations by Opposition members of Parliament and South Africa’s Englishlanguage press that when Prime Minister he knew of irregularities in the Government's now-disbanded Department of Information. These were said to include the State funding of the proGovernment “Citizen” newspaper. Mr Vorster’s former Minister of Information, Dr Connie Mulder, has publicly contracdicted the President’s denials.

Opposition members of Parliament have called on Mr Vorster to resign, and have lodged an impeachment petition, the first of its kind against a South African President.

The petition said Mr Vorater had remained silent when Dr Mulder lied to Parliament about State funding of the “Citizen.” He was also accused of failing to take appropriate action when first told about the secret funds behind the newspaper..