Afrikaner Broederbond was a secret fraternity (brotherhood) that worked to further the interests of Afrikaans-speaking white people in South Africa. The fraternity was formed by railway employees in Johannesburg in 1918 as Jong Suid Afrika (Young South Africa).
In 1934, the fraternity supported the National Party under Broederbond member D. F. Malan. Malan’s party aimed at Afrikaner domination of the state. The Broederbond mobilized Afrikaner votes behind the National Party. It helped to bring the National Party to power in 1948. During the 1980’s, Afrikaner unity broke up over the issue of political and social reform. In general, the Broederbond backed the reform wing of the National Party, but its political influence declined. In the early 1990’s, the Afrikaner Broederbond ended its policy of secrecy, accepted women and people of other races, and became the Afrikanerbond.
