Photos

South Africa Women’s Day was marked by a packed and enthusiastic meeting in Hackney Town Hall on 9 August 1984. The meeting was organised by the ANC’s London Women’s Committee. Left to right: ANC Women’s Section representatives Florence Maleka and Felicia Mzamo, Labour MP Joan Lestor and Glenys Kinnock. 1984 was designated the Year of the Women by the African National Congress.

In August 1984 the South African government detained the leaders of the United Democratic Front (UDF). The UDF organised a boycott of the segregated elections held under South Africa’s new constitution. After being temporarily freed, six of the detainees took refuge in the British consulate in Durban. Students in Britain picketed the South African embassy to demand safe passage for the detainees.

Anti-apartheid supporters marched through central London to protest against the inauguration of P W Botha as President on 14 September 1984. The inauguration followed segregated elections, boycotted by South Africa’s Indian and Cape Coloured communities. Africans had no vote. United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders were detained before the elections. The elections coincided with a wave of protest that swept through South Africa’s black townships, starting in Sharpeville in the southern Transvaal.

An international petition calling for the release of Nelson Mandela was launched by the AAM in October 1982. Signatures for the petition were collected in countries throughout the world. Over half a million people signed and other organisations launched their own petitions. The AAM’s President Trevor Huddleston flew to New York to present the petition to UN Secretary General on 11 October 1984, International Day of Solidarity with South African Political Prisoners.

Women demonstrators picketed British Nuclear Fuels plant near Preston in north-west England on 2 November 1984. Earlier in the year a group of women peace activists were gaoled after they gained entry to the BNFL’s plant at Capenhurst, Cheshire. The November picket was one of four protests at BNFL installations in Scotland and northern England. The coordinated demonstrations were part of a national week of action on Namibia organised by the AAM and Namibia Support Committee, 27 October–2 November 1984. In the 1970s and 1980s Britain imported Namibian uranium in contravention of UN resolutions declaring that South Africa’s occupation of Namibia was illegal.

From the early 1980s young white South Africans who refused to do compulsory military service came to Britain and played an important part in anti-apartheid campaigns. In 1984 the apartheid government extended military conscription for whites. In this picture supporters of COSAWR are protesting against South Africa’s new military offensive against Angola in the winter of 1983/84.

Over 500 people picketed the opening night of Funny Girl, starring Marti Caine, at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in 1984. They were protesting against Marti Caine’s 14-month contract at Sun City and her outspoken defence of South Africa. Local Equity members signed a petition supporting the protest. The Crucible later agreed with Sheffield Council that it would not employ actors who appeared on the UN Register of performers who had appeared in South Africa.

The Committee on South African War Resistance (COSAWR) handed over sports equipment for the ANC’s Solomon Mahlangu Freedom School for South African refugee children to ANC representative Solly Smith and Adelaide Tambo in 1984. From the early 1980s young white South Africans who refused to do compulsory military service came to Britain and played an important part in anti-apartheid campaigns.