Muldergate Scandal
Encyclopedia
The Muldergate scandal, also known as the Information Scandal, was a South Africa
n political scandal
involving the Department of Information.
South African Prime Minister BJ Vorster, Dr. Connie Mulder
(Minister of Information) and Dr. Eschel Rhoodie
(Secretary of Department of Information) were implicated in plans to use government resources to fight a propaganda war for the then Apartheid Government. In 1973 John Vorster had agreed to Mulder's plan to shift about 64 million rand
from the defence budget to undertake a series of propaganda projects. Plans included bribes of international news agencies and the purchase of the Washington Star
newspaper.
Vorster was also implicated in the use of a secret slush fund to establish The Citizen, the only major English-language newspaper that was favourable to the National Party
.
A commission of inquiry concluded in mid-1979 that Vorster "knew everything" about the corruption and had tolerated it. He resigned from the presidency in disgrace.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n political scandal
Political scandal
A political scandal is a kind of political corruption that is exposed and becomes a scandal, in which politicians or government officials are accused of engaging in various illegal, corrupt, or unethical practices...
involving the Department of Information.
South African Prime Minister BJ Vorster, Dr. Connie Mulder
Connie Mulder
Connie Mulder, born Petrus Cornelius Mulder , was a South African politician and father of present cabinet minister and leader of the Freedom Front Plus Pieter Mulder....
(Minister of Information) and Dr. Eschel Rhoodie
Eschel Rhoodie
Eschel Mostert Rhoodie was a South African politician, public relations man and spin doctor most famous as being one of the key players in the 1978-79 Information Scandal, also known as "Infogate" or "Muldergate"...
(Secretary of Department of Information) were implicated in plans to use government resources to fight a propaganda war for the then Apartheid Government. In 1973 John Vorster had agreed to Mulder's plan to shift about 64 million rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
from the defence budget to undertake a series of propaganda projects. Plans included bribes of international news agencies and the purchase of the Washington Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
newspaper.
Vorster was also implicated in the use of a secret slush fund to establish The Citizen, the only major English-language newspaper that was favourable to the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
.
A commission of inquiry concluded in mid-1979 that Vorster "knew everything" about the corruption and had tolerated it. He resigned from the presidency in disgrace.