Local authorities

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). 

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.