Title: The inner circle
Subtitle: Recollections from the last days of white rule
Author: Jan Heunis
Publisher: Jonathan Ball
Cape Town, South Africa 2007
ISBN 9781868422821 / ISBN 978-1-86842-282-1
Softcover, 13 x 20 cm, 207 pages, several b/w photos
Jan Heunis, son of Constitutional Development minister Chris Heunis, was born into the National Party. As a law graduate from the University of Stellenbosch, where he served on the Student Representative Council for the NP, he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs as a legal adviser. He swiftly moved up the ranks and subsequently became Chief State Law Adviser in the State President's Office.
In this remarkable book of witness, Heunis reveals the inside story of some of the most dramatic historic moments during the final years of white rule. These include the signing of the Nkomati Accord with Mozambique, PW Botha’s infamous Rubicon speech and his later resignation, and how the National Party were outwitted during negotiations with the ANC. Heunis describes the actions of such figures as PW Botha, Pik Botha, FW de Klerk, Kobie Coetsee, Denis Worrall, Hernus Kriel, Roelf Meyer and of course his father, Chris Heunis.
Sampie Terreblanche - friend, Broederbonder, socialist,
historian, economist, etcetera
Doing time in the Department of Foreign Affairs
The Nkomati Accord - what price the state's word?
My appointment as Chief State Law Adviser
Meeting Madiba
Sidelining the Special Cabinet Committee
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
The Police's secret fund
PW Botha's Rubicon
Administering the death sentence
My resignation as Chief State Law Adviser
Denis Wor rail
My father's career and resignation in brief outline
PW Botha's resignation
Returning to the fold
Kobie Coetsee - Minister of everything
Hernus Kriel
The siege of the World Trade Centre
Roelf Meyer
The 'sunset clause'
Index