LOOKING BACK

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 50 YEARS AGO

The secret Broederbond is on the run. Large-scale confusion and uncertainty have appeared in its ranks. This super-Afrikaner mafia organisation is reeling from shock disclosures during the past five weeks about its secret activities. Dr Andries Treurnicht, chairman of the Broederbond, with its executive, this week took emergency steps to deal with the crisis threatening the organisation’s future. The secretaries of about 400 divisions throughout South Africa were told by phone to await a special secret circular. The situation is regarded as so serious that it is considered unsafe to send the circular through the ordinary post or to reveal its contents over the phone. — October 22 1972

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 25 YEARS AGO

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has stunned her ANC colleagues by saying a referendum should be held on the death penalty because criminals are getting off “scot-free”. Madikizela-Mandela made the statement, which flies in the face of the constitution and long-standing ANC policy, at a closed meeting of the party’s policymakers recently. Her spokesman, Alan Reynolds, confirmed yesterday that she told the meeting: “Crime is running rampant because the criminals are saying they won’t get the death penalty. Don’t we as a democratic country have an obligation to take this to a referendum?” The death penalty call is part of Madikizela-Mandela’s campaign to defeat Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa and ANC chairman Jacob Zuma in elections for the ANC deputy presidency at the organisation’s December conference. — October 19 1997