Broederbond

The Afrikaner Broederbond, commonly referred to as the Broederbond, was a secret, all-male organization in South Africa founded in 1918 in Johannesburg by a group of Afrikaner professionals and clergymen. Its stated aim was to promote Afrikaner national consciousness, language and culture, and the political and economic interests of the Afrikaner community, particularly within the Reformed Church milieu. The group functioned as a diffuse network that sought to influence politics, education, and social policy.

The Broederbond operated as a clandestine organization with a hierarchical structure. Membership was by invitation, restricted to white men, and involvement was typically lifelong. It maintained strict confidentiality and did not publish its aims, membership lists, or activities. Through informal channels, it sought to shape policy and political leadership in ways it believed would advance Afrikaner interests.

Throughout much of the 20th century, many of its members held high positions in the National Party, the civil service, and the security apparatus. The Broederbond is widely seen as having played a central role in guiding and sustaining apartheid-era policies, including governance structures, education, language policy, and other measures enforcing racial segregation.

With South Africa’s transition to democracy in the early 1990s, the organization’s influence waned. By the mid-1990s it is generally regarded as having ceased active operations. The Broederbond remains a controversial subject in studies of apartheid, cited as an example of how secret networks helped shape state power.