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Steve Howell first became aware of apartheid as a teenage cricket fan, shocked that Basil D’Oliveira was not selected for England’s tour of South Africa in 1968. He campaigned against apartheid as a student at Sheffield University and was a founder member of the Sheffield Campaign Against Racism in 1977. In 1982, Steve organised a UN conference on South Africa held in Sheffield, which was a catalyst for the creation of Local Authorities Against Apartheid (LAAA). After working for Sheffield Council for Racial Equality for four years, he was appointed by Sheffield City Council in 1986 to act as secretary of LAAA, a post he held until 1992.

This is a complete transcript of an interview carried out as part of a research project on anti-apartheid local groups affiliated to the AAM, conducted by Dr Matt Graham (History programme, University of Dundee) and Dr Christopher Fevre (International Studies Group, University of the Free State). 

Children from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique were forced into exile by the South African government’s repression inside its borders and its attacks on its neighbours. This pamphlet exposed the harsh conditions in refugee camps and the initatives taken by the Southern African liberation movements to provide care and education for exiled children. It was published by the International Defence and Aid Fund and distributed by the AAM.

The International Defence and Aid Fund published pamphlets covering every aspect of life in apartheid South Africa and Namibia. It also produced posters, exhibitions and videos illustrating the brutality of apartheid and the struggle to end it. Its publications and other material were widely distributed by the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Mary remembers how South Africans exiles living in London drew her into the South African liberation struggle in 1958, before the formation of the Boycott Movement. She left London the following year, but her experience in the nascent Anti-Apartheid Movement led her to join other social justice movements. She now lives in Australia, and at the age of 89 campaigns for justice for Palestinians.

This report was prepared for the founding conference of LAAA’s successor organisation, Local Authority Action for Southern Africa, held on 2 March 1995. It summarised the work done by LAAA and its National Steering Committee, 1983–95. LAAA gave guidance to local authorities on how to disinvest from South Africa, encouraged teaching about apartheid in schools and during the transition to democracy in South Africa helped train black South Africans for key roles in local government.

This report was prepared for the founding conference of LAAA’s successor organisation, Local Authority Action for Southern Africa, held on 2 March 1995. It summarised the work done by LAAA and its National Steering Committee, 1983–95. It gave guidance to local authorities on how to disinvest from South Africa, encouraged teaching about apartheid in schools and during the transition to democracy in South Africa helped train black South Africans for key roles in local government.