LOOKING BACK

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 50 YEARS AGO

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Ben Schoeman , took with him three African domestic servants, Fourboy, Martha and Jane, when he travelled “mogul style” to Cape Town in December for the parliamentary session which opened last week. The Minister's entourage also included an assistant private secretary, Miss P.A. van Eeden, nine officials, including four stewards, an air-conditioning and lighting inspector, an electrician, an inspector of passenger services, a locomotive inspector, a mainline traffic inspector — and the Minister's dog. Typewritten instructions for the Minister’s trip from December 14 to 16 covered 3.5 large pages. — February 9 1969

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 25 YEARS AGO

In his strongest warning yet to the right wing, ANC president Nelson Mandela said yesterday he would consider using Umkhonto we Sizwe to retaliate if attacks on ANC offices continued. Referring to statements from Volksfront leader Constand Viljoen that the right wing was considering limited violence, he said: “We won’t make it a limited type of violence when we retaliate.” Mr Mandela, addressing nurses at Thabong hospital outside Welkom, said ANC attitudes were hardening because of right-wing attacks. “We have our own forces, but we are restraining them. We have MK inside and outside the country and they are better equipped than the ultra right. — March 15, 1991