LOOKING BACK

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 50 YEARS AGO

Despite the Government’s call for a reduction in spending, Escom’s R126-million Camden power station was officially opened this week with a ceremony which cost between R40,000 and R50,000. The plant was opened by the Prime Minister, Mr. Vorster, who recently said: “The Government is prepared to effect a drastic curtailment of its own expenditure.” There were more than 500 guests, who travelled to Camden, nine miles from Ermelo, in cars, chartered luxury buses and three specially chartered Dakotas. Mr. J.H.S. van der Walt, Escom’s public relations officer said: “It has cost quite a bit, but it is no one’s business except Escom’s what the cost was.” — October 15 1967

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 25 YEARS AGO

Tokyo Sexwale, chairman of the PWV region of the ANC, said yesterday that bad administration was threatening to make the ANC ineffective and inefficient. Mr Sexwale alleged that officials often failed to report back on time — or at all; meetings were poorly attended; and ANC speakers were boring their audiences with long-winded speeches.

Mr Sexwale also said the ANC was alienating itself from its constituency’s bread-andbutter issues: “The ANC has become a negotiations department of a struggle which concerns itself mainly, or only, with issues pertaining to the demand for an interim government, the constituent assembly and elections.” — October 18 1992