Posters

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, held 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 to campaign for disinvestment.

Poster publicising a speaking tour of Europe by Putuse Appolus from the Namibian Women’s League and a representative of SWAPO’s Youth League in the summer of 1975. The two women spent two weeks in Britain, meeting women’s groups, student unions and labour movement representatives. The UN designated 1975 as International Women’s Year.

This poster reprinted a call to trade unions from the Programme of Action against Apartheid adopted by the UN General Assembly. It was widely distributed by the AAM Trade Union Committee.

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. 

In 1976 Barclays invested ten million rand in South African defence bonds; it also advertised in South African Defence Force magazines. This poster shows SWAPO refugees killed in SADF raids in Angola and asks ‘Is this how you want to be treated by your first bank?’

Poster showing a woman worker badly beaten by South African police in March 1976. She was protesting at the sacking of workers at the Transvaal company Heinemann Electrical after they campaigned for recognition of their union MAWU (Metal and Allied Workers Union).

Poster produced for the AAM conference on ‘Women Under Apartheid’ held in London on 24 April 1976. The speakers at the conference were former political prisoners Dulcie September and Joyce Sikakane, Ethel de Keyser from the AAM, representatives of the NUS and the trade union AUEW (TASS), and Methodist Pauline Webb. 

SWAPO leaders Aaron Mushimba and Hendrik Shikongo were sentenced to death under the Terrorism Act on 12 May 1976. With the Namibia Support Committee, SATIS promoted an international campaign for their release. It distributed thousands of postcards calling on the British government to intervene and held a demonstration outside South Africa House. The two men were released on appeal in 1977.