John Vorster
Prime Minister of South Africa from 1966 to 1978 · South Africa · Politicians · Lived 1915 to 1983 · aged 67
John Vorster is read about 315 times a day, in 36 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 8 October 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 76 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?Prime Minister of South Africa for twelve years during the height of apartheid enforcement. He oversaw the Rivonia Trial that sent Nelson Mandela to prison, signed the Terrorism Act, and held power through the Soweto uprising and the death of Steve Biko in custody.
Also in Deutsch
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In their own words 1
, The government will not be intimidated. Orders have been given to maintain order at all costs.
Awards
About this person
Vorster was interned by his own government in 1942 for ties to a pro-Nazi organization, though he disputed the charge and said it was for being anti-British. He rose through National Party ranks to become Minister of Justice, where he prosecuted the Rivonia Trial in 1964 that resulted in Nelson Mandela's life sentence for sabotage. As Prime Minister from 1966, he deepened apartheid's architecture - eliminating all non-white political representation and expanding security laws - while navigating the Soweto Riots in 1976 and the international outcry over Steve Biko's death in detention in 1977. He pursued a more flexible foreign policy than earlier leaders, seeking détente with neighboring African states after Portugal's colonial collapse. In 1978, after helping broker Rhodesia's Internal Settlement, he was caught in the Muldergate corruption scandal, resigned as Prime Minister to take the ceremonial presidency, and was forced out of that office eight months later.
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