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The AAM marked the eleventh anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre in 1971 with a rally in Hyde Park against arms sales to South Africa. A dramatised expose of Labour and Conservative governments record on arms sales was presented by artists including Monty Python star Graham Chapman. Because of widespread opposition from the British public the only weapons sold to South Africa by  the 1970–74 Conservative government were seven Wasp helicopters.

In September 1971 the National Union of Students, AAM and the Committee for Freedom in Mozambique, Angola and Guiné set up a student network to coordinate student campaigning on Southern Africa. The aim was to recruit representatives at every British university and college. The network campaigned for universities to disinvest from companies involved in South Africa and for a boycott of Barclays Bank. It raised funds for the Southern African liberation movements and organised protests against the arrest of students within South Africa. This handbook provided information for student activists.

Demonstrators waiting for the arrival of South African Defence Minister P W Botha at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, 10 June 1971. Botha was seeking assurances from his British counterpart Lord Carrington that Britain would supply warships to South Africa. He was accompanied by SADF Commander in Chief General Hiemstra, a former Nazi sympathiser.

Demonstrators waiting for the arrival of South African Defence Minister P W Botha at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, 10 June 1971. Tomatoes and smoke flares were thrown at him as he entered the Ministry. Botha was seeking assurances that Britain would supply warships to South Africa. The 1970–74 Conservative government announced that it would lift the arms embargo against South Africa, but because of public opposition the only weapons it supplied were seven Wasp helicopters.

South African Defence Minister P W Botha visited the Ministry of Defence on 10 June 1971 for talks with his British counterpart Lord Carrington. Protesters threw tomatoes and smoke flares as he entered the Ministry. Botha was seeking assurances that Britain would supply warships to South Africa. The 1970–74 Conservative government announced that it would lift the arms embargo against South Africa, but because of public opposition the only weapons it supplied were seven Wasp helicopters.

Poster publicising an AAM conference held on 4 July 1971. The main issues discussed at the conference were the proposed settlement on Rhodesia and action against British firms with investments in South Africa. One of the speakers was Caroline Hunter from the US Polaroid Revolutionary Workers Movement. Polaroid supplied photographic equipment used to produce passbooks for black South Africans. After a long campaign by its largely black US workforce, Polaroid pulled out of South Africa in 1977.

Leaflet publicising a 24-hour vigil held on 1–2 August 1971 to protest against the trials of Rev Gonville ffrench-Beytagh, Anglican Dean of Johannesburg and of 14 members of the South African Unity Movement. All the accused told the court they had been tortured. Thirteen of the Unity Movement members were found guilty of offences under the Terrorism Act and sentenced to prison terms on Robben Island. At the same time, the Dean of Johannesburg was charged with helping the families of political prisoners. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, but released on appeal.

The AAM held a 24-hour vigil outside South Africa House on 1–2 August 1971 to protest against the trials of Rev Gonville ffrench-Beytagh, Anglican Dean of Johannesburg, and 14 members of the South African Unity Movement. All the accused told the court they had been tortured. Thirteen of the Unity Movement members were found guilty of offences under the Terrorism Act and sentenced to prison terms on Robben Island. At the same time, the Dean of Johannesburg was charged under the Terrorism Act with helping the families of political prisoners. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, but later released on appeal. In the photo is Canon John Collins, first Chairman of the Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa.