Simon Sapper grew up in London in a household that boycotted South African goods, and from an early age he was aware of the anti-apartheid struggle. On leaving university in 1984 he joined the staff of the Anti-Apartheid Movement as a campaigns organiser, with special responsibility for trade unions and political parties. He played a central role in organising the AAM demonstration calling for sanctions against South Africa in November 1985 and the Festival for Freedom in June 1986. In November 1986 he left to work for the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.
This is a complete transcript of an interview carried out as part of a research project on the British Anti-Apartheid Movement and South Africa’s transition to majority rule, conducted by Dr Matt Graham (History programme, University of Dundee) and Dr Christopher Fevre (International Studies Group, University of the Free State). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13619462.2021.1976154
