1980s

After Zimbabwe achieved majority government in 1980, the AAM warned against any relaxation of attempts to end apartheid in South Africa and Namibia. This leaflet argued against British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s statement that there should be an end to the isolation of South Africa. Instead it called on  the British government to support UN mandatory economic sanctions against South Africa and for solidarity with the frontline states. The leaflet announced two weeks of intensive campaigning, 16–30 June 1980.

Poster advertising an AAM fortnight of events to celebrate South Africa Freedom Day, 26 June 1980. The poster provided space for local anti-apartheid groups to insert information about local activities.

Poster advertising a rally on South Africa Freedom Day, 26 June 1980, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. The rally was organised by an umbrella group, the South Africa Freedom Day Committee, and the main speaker was ANC Secretary-General Alfred Nzo. The ANC declared 1980 the ‘Year of the Charter’ and the AAM distributed thousands of copies of the Freedom Charter during the year.

Memorandum presented by the AAM at a meeting with Richard Luce, Under Secretary at the Foreign Office, in June 1980. The AAM protested at Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s statement welcoming changes in South Africa’s domestic policies, after police had opened fire on students in Cape Town. It questioned the British government’s claim that it had no standing on the issue of the release of Nelson Mandela.

Letter from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher commenting on the AAM’s memorandum of June 1980. She reiterated that the government had no standing in the case of Nelson Mandela, although she said his release would be ‘widely welcomed’. 

Poster advertising a march through central London on 28 June 1980 to protest against South African police shootings of anti-apartheid protestors in Cape Town. The march was the culmination of a week of daily pickets of the South African Embassy, 20-27 June. Marchers delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street calling on the British government to protest against the South African police policy of ‘shoot to kill’.

Anti-apartheid supporters marched through central London on 28 June 1980 to protest against South African police shootings of anti-apartheid protestors in Cape Town. They carried portraits of political prisoners and young MK members sentenced to hang. At the head of the march are Yusuf Dadoo, Ron Press and Ilva Mackay. They delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street calling on the British government to protest against the South African police shoot to kill policy.

In the 1970s and 1980s Britain imported uranium from Rio Tinto Zinc’s Rossing mine in Namibia in contravention of UN resolutions. As part of a long-running campaign, on 8 November 1980 over 300 demonstrators marched to British Nuclear Fuels Springfields plant near Preston where the uranium was processed. They were led by trade union banners from Preston, Leeds and Merseyside and joined by trade unionists from all over the north of England. The demonstration was organised by the North-West Trade Union/AAM Liaison Committee and the Namibia Support Committee.