S.A. will intervene if Rhodesia collapses

Press, 22 February 1980, Page 6

S.A. will intervene if Rhodesia collapses

NZPA-Reuter Pretoria Senior South African military officials were quoted yesterday as saying their country would feel compelled to intervene militarily should law and order break down completely in Rhodesia after this month’s elections. Reports of the warning were published in leading South African newspapers. Informed sources said they were based on an

“off-the-record” briefing for defence correspondents at the military headquarters in Pretoria to which foreign newsmen were not invited. . The briefing was believed to be intended to set out well in advance South Africa’s position over Rhodesia and the circumstances in which it might send its troops across the border. These were, according to the reports: total chaos, in which the lives of

whites seeking to fle e were endangered; or inter-) vention in Rhodeisa by ! forces of another country, such as Mozambique’ Cuba, or Tanzania; or a-* threat to South Africa’s I own security. ; The Prime Minister (Mr ? Pieter Botha) has already ? said South Africa would contemplate intervention in Rhodesia in event of '< total breakdown there, but * that the matter would first be put to Parliament ’ in Cape Town. 4