South Africa avoids apartheid showdown

A Cabinet showdown over the race policies of South African Prime Minister Pieter Botha was averted Tuesday. Leading right-winger Andries Treurnicht, whose opposition to changes in the apartheid laws threatened to split the ruling National Party, apparently backed down during a three-hour Cabinet meeting. Statements issued later mended at least temporarily the rift between the prime minister and Dr. Treunicht, who holds the powerful post of party leader in Transvaal Province.