P.A. Stoffberg, a Nationalist member of the Transvaal Provincial Council, yesterday apologized for a disparaging remark he made about the Jewish community in South Africa.
Stoffberg’s apology was followed by a speech by Dr. Theo Wassenaar, member of the national executive council and a leader of the Nationalist Party, who declared that the “Briton, Boer and Jew must stand together if we are to face the great future dangers from the North. We all believe in apartheid,” he said, “call it what you will. When these dangers come we will stand together, and our differences will be forgotten.”
Dr. Wassenaar added that he had the greatest respect for the Jews, stating that “they were the strongest nationalists in the world–this is a characteristic they have in common with the Nationalist Party. Their cooperation is necessary for maintaining the whole (South African) civilization.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.