Show Notes
A commission's finding reveals a president's complicity in apartheid, challenging his claims of innocence. What happens when the architect of oppression is the face of order?
The two votes that almost saved a country
This episode explores the early life and political rise of Balthazar Johannes Vorster, detailing his journey from a small town to a position of immense power in South Africa. It examines the pivotal moments and decisions that shaped his career and the country's future.
Person: Balthazar Johannes Vorster Born: December 13, 1915 Location: Jamestown, Cape Province Political Affiliation: Ossewabrandwag, Afrikaner Party, National Party Role: Minister of Justice, Police, and Prisons
- Balthazar Johannes Vorster was the fifteenth child in his family, born in Jamestown, Cape Province. - He graduated from Stellenbosch University with a law degree in 1938, having served as president of the student council. - Vorster joined the Ossewabrandwag in 1938, an organization rooted in Afrikaner nationalism and resentment of British rule. - In 1942, he publicly declared Christian nationalism in South Africa an ally of National Socialism, leading to his internment by British authorities. - In 1948, Vorster lost his first parliamentary election bid in Brakpan by just two votes.
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