Elias Broomberg

Elias "Elly" Broomberg (23 December 1915 – 4 November 1977) was a South African-born Rhodesian businessman and politician. Born and raised in Johannesburg, he emigrated to Southern Rhodesia in 1956 and co-founded a textile company in Bulawayo. First elected to Parliament in 1970, he was named Minister of Commerce and Industry by Prime Minister Ian Smith in 1974. Two years later, he was named Minister of Information, Immigration, and Tourism. He chose not to run for reelection in 1977, and after leaving both Parliament and the Cabinet, died the same year.

Early life and career Broomberg was born on 23 December 1915 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The son of Joseph Louis and Fanny Broomberg, settling in Bulawayo. In 1956, along with a business partner, he founded Sentex Weaving Mills, a small textile company with eight Weaving mills and a staff of 14. He was also served as the director of several other companies: Coys, Merlin Limited the Trans-Ocean Import Corporation, the U.D.C. of Rhodesia, Freecor Limited, and United Refineries. In Rhodesia, he also held leadership positions of a number of civic associations: as President of the Lions Club of Bulawayo, as National Chair of the Council for the Blind, as Vice-President of the Rhodesia Society for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, and as Chair of the King George VI Rehabilitation Centre for Blind & Physically Handicapped Children. He defeated his opponent, Centre Party vice president Arthur Sarif, with 65 percent of the vote. In 1974, Broomberg won reelection with 67 percent of the vote against his moderate Rhodesia Party opponent Jurick Goldwasser's 33 percent. As commerce minister, Broomberg became a key player in Rhodesia's sanction-busting efforts. On 11 November 1974, Broomberg was honoured as a Member of the Legion of Merit.

In 1976, Smith reorganized his cabinet, and named Broomberg as Minister of Information, Immigration, and Tourism. Broomberg's appointment was unexpected, as his performance as commerce minister was often criticized within Rhodesia's political establishment and he was widely expected to be dropped from the next cabinet. As information minister, Broomberg oversaw the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, the country's main government mouthpiece. As immigration minister, he sought, largely unsuccessfully, to stem the flow of white emigrants out of Rhodesia. One of his methods was the creation of a section of the ministry's Immigration Promotion Department whose staff would write a letter to every departing white emigrant to ask why they were leaving, and to try to change their mind. In 1976, he opened a Rhodesian tourism office in Johannesburg, and oversaw a publicity campaign which saw Rhodesian "holiday girls" travel across South Africa in brightly-painted vans to promote tourism in Rhodesia.

Personal life Broomberg married Fay Golub on 25 December 1939. and an active member of the Bulawayo Hebrew Congregation.

Awards and honours