Students

As part of a long-running campaign to pressure Durham University to sell its shares in companies operating in South Africa, in the autumn of 1974 Durham Students Union asked Junior Common Rooms at all the university’s constituent colleges to discuss and vote on the issue. This poster asked students to vote for disinvestment. At the subsequent meetings, over 63% of those who voted supported the disinvestment campaign.

Students at Durham University first asked the university authorities to sell shares in companies with South African subsidiaries in 1972. In 1974 they rejected the University Council's response, which endorsed the British government’s code of conduct for companies investing in South Africa. This leaflet publicised a demonstration against the university’s refusal to sell in February 1975. Over 1,000 students marched through Durham. The Vice-Chancellor responded by circulating other universities asking them to ensure British influence in South Africa was exerted against apartheid. This was rejected by Durham Students Union, which continued its disinvestment campaign.

Students at Durham University first asked the university authorities to sell shares in companies with South African subsidiaries in 1972. In 1974 they rejected the response of the University Council, which endorsed the British government’s code of conduct for companies investing in South Africa. This poster publicised a national demonstration against the university’s refusal to sell in February 1975. Over 1,000 students marched through Durham. Speakers included trade unionist John Hosey, whose son Sean was imprisoned in South Africa. Durham University’s Vice-Chancellor responded by circulating other universities suggesting they should ensure British influence in South Africa was exerted against apartheid. This was rejected by Durham students, who continued its disinvestment campaign .

In the mid-1970s students became the focus of opposition in South Africa, many of them supporters of the black consciousness movement. This leaflet highlighted the case of nine SASO members charged under the Terrorism Act. It also called for the release of NUSAS President Karel Tip.

In September 1971 the National Union of Students, AAM and Committee for Freedom in Mozambique, Angola and Guiné set up a student network to coordinate student campaigning on Southern Africa. Every year through the 1970s and early 1980s the network held an annual conference to discuss campaign priorities. This is the report of the conference held at Salford University in July 1975.

AAM demonstrators picketed South Africa House in August 1975 to protest against continuing detentions without trial in South Africa, including that of the Afrikaans poet Breyten Breytenbach. They also called for the release of the nine leaders of the South African Student Organisation (SASO) and Black People’s Convention (BPC) leaders on trial under the Terrorism Act.

The Anti-Apartheid Society at University College Cardiff produced this report listing the university’s holdings in British companies with subsidiaries in South Africa. The report argued that investing in a racist society was inconsistent with the ethos of ‘free knowledge’ professed by the university. It showed that nearly 50 per cent of the university’s shareholdings were in companies with South African connections.

Poster produced for the campaign to make Barclays Bank withdraw from South Africa. The campaign started in 1969 in response to Barclays’ involvement in financing the Cabora Bassa dam in Mozambique. Students played a big part in the campaign, which asked individuals and organisations to withdraw their accounts. Barclays finally pulled out of South Africa in 1986.