LOOKING BACK

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 50 YEARS AGO

The Prime Minister, Mr Vorster, has denied in an American television interview that he was pro-Nazi during World War II. “I can say quite definitely,” Mr Vorster declared, “that it wasn’t a question of being pro-Nazi, the official reasons for my interment didn’t even mention it. It stated that I was anti-British.” Mr Vorster was interviewed by Mr William Buckley for the American television programme, Firing Line. Mr Vorster said it was a mistake to transplant Westminster-type democracy to South Africa. He said the Westminster concept was foreign to Africa and the kind of governments that prevailed in Africa were culturally natural. “I don’t think you will ever see the rest of Africa have democracy in the same sense as in South Africa, Britain or America. In Black Africa you brook no opposition and consequently you don’t give the opposition a chance to become the reigning party unless it does so by force.” — April 21 1974

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 25 YEARS AGO

A row has erupted between Amnesty International secretary-general Pierre Sané and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki over the 1995 execution of Nigerian dissident Ken SaroWiwa. Sané, in an interview with the BBC, said he had asked Mbeki to act on the impending execution of Saro-Wiwa but Mbeki refused. Sané said he was in Mbeki’s office on the day Saro-Wiwa was executed. “I was trying to persuade Mbeki South Africa could influence the Nigerian government. He resisted because he couldn’t believe [then Nigerian military dictator] Sani Abacha, would execute Saro-Wiwa. Mbeki was also resistant because he felt it was not South Africa’s role to save the world.” — April 18 1999