Anti-Apartheid News

The November issue led on the independence of the former Portuguese colony of Guinea-Bissau. It exposed South Africa’s new propaganda offensive, led by the secretive Club of Ten. Judith Todd reported on the Rhodesia debate at the Conservative Party conference. AA News analysed Portugal’s rigged elections. A report on the Labour Party conference deplored the lack of time allotted to debate on Southern Africa. 

In a report on the AAM’s 1973 annual general meeting, this issue highlighted the call for a boycott of South African products. It reported on new curbs on the South African press and on demands for the release of political prisoners at a conference held within South Africa. A centrespread focused on the slave labour conditions of South African agricultural workers. Roger Murray reported on the brutal treatment of Namibian political detainees.

This issue publicised the AAM’s ‘No Collaboration’ campaign, with plans for local activity asking for a total boycott of South Africa. It reported on police harassment of Asian immigrants to Britain. It critiqued the report of the 1973 TUC delegation to South Africa, arguing that apartheid could be not be reformed from within. A centrespread announced the formation of a new coalition to campaign for the release of Southern African political prisoners. The issue reported on the impact of a new Arab oil embargo on South Africa.

The March issue featured the spread of guerrilla warfare in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Sam Ramsamy described the impact of the international sports boycott of South Africa. A round-up on political prisoners featured Denis Goldberg, sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964. AA News reported on continuing unrest among Durban workers. Antonio de Figueiredo exposed the split in the Catholic church on Portuguese colonialism and Paul Ostreicher discussed the response of the Christian churches to apartheid and racism in Southern Africa.

Sports Minister Denis Howell had asked the British rugby establishment to call off its  British Lions rugby tour of South Africa, reported this issue. It featured the launch of the AAM’s ‘No Collaboration’ campaign and the new Labour Government’s appointment of AAM supporters as key ministers. It called for an end to the hanging of Zimbabwean freedom fighters. Alan Brooks reported on the findings of a Parliamentary Committee on the operations of British companies in South Africa. A feature on South African political prisoners featured Ahmed Kathrada.

The May issue featured protests within South Africa against the British Lions rugby tour. It carried a first-hand report by a ZANU fighter on the guerrilla war in Zimbabwe. It announced the formation of The Imprisoned Society (SATIS) a coalition set up to campaign for the release of political prisoners. A centrespread reported on the brutal flogging of SWAPO supporters in northern Namibia. A special feature explained how the gold price boom was fuelling the apartheid economy.

The new Labour Government must fulfil Labour’s pledges on the isolation of South Africa, argued AA News. It reported on country-wide action in the AAM’s ‘No Collaboration’ campaign and on a TUC conference to discuss the report of its delegation to South Africa. It examined the prospects for the liberation of Portugal’s African colonies following the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship. It carried more first-hand reports of the spreading guerrilla war in Zimbabwe.

A picture spread featured the AAM’s Freedom Convention held in London’s Camden Lock in 30 June, following a conference on Southern Africa for the British labour movement. The issue reported on a NUSAS (National Union of South African Students) campaign for the release of political prisoners and lack of medical treatment for life prisoner Bram Fischer. On Zimbabwe, it reported on another attempt to impose a sell-out agreement. Brian Bunting showed how the introduction of television to South Africa would be used to promote apartheid and Vella Pillay showed how the apartheid economy was backed by international banks.