Afrikanerbond

Afrikanerbond A South African organization founded as the secret Afrikaner Broederbond (Brotherhood) designed to promote Afrikaner interests. Originally established in 1918 as a cultural organization under the name of Jong Suid-Afrika (Young South Africa), it established an effective public front to further its interests in 1929, the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurverenigings (Federation of Afrikaner Cultural Organizations). Increasingly political, it sought to achieve its aims through the growing National Party (NP), despite the hostility of Hertzog and Smuts, who forbade state employees to join. By contrast, Malan's acceptance of its influential support played a significant part in uniting Afrikaner opinion behind him, which led to his surprise election victory in 1948. Thereafter, every NP leader (and South African premier until 1992) was a member, which ensured its success within the top ranks of the apartheid state. Following the end of apartheid, it changed its name in 1994, and opened up its membership to all races and to women. The purpose of the Afrikanerbond was now to defend a political minority, the Afrikaners and their cultural values, in a multicultural South Africa dominated by the ANC.