Following a whites-only election in 1948, the National Party’s Government in South Africa, created a brutal, racist regime…

About this Event

Following a whites-only election in 1948, the National Party’s Government in South Africa, created a brutal, racist regime, which became infamous a ‘apartheid South Africa’. This is the story of their brave struggle.

Mass resistance, led mainly by the African National Congress, developed over next two decades, but was largely crushed by the mid 1960’s, with civilians slaughtered, thousands tortured and imprisoned, including much of the ANC’s leadership of Mandela and co’ on Robben Island.

Whilst the difficult task of rebuilding the internal resistance movement went on, another external project was launched – the ‘London Recruits’. Oliver Tambo, the ANC’s exiled President, dispatched a charismatic freedom fighter, Ronnie Kasrils to London, to recruit brave young white women and men to carry out high risk, secret missions in South Africa, whilst pretending to be innocent tourists.

They did this throughout the 1970’s onwards, alongside the growing internal mass resistance and international solidarity movement.
Ultimately the regime was forced to the negotiating table and eventually free elections in 1994.
With ‘political liberation’ came the on-going struggle for’economic liberation’, which continues today.

So who were these brave ‘London Recruits’? What exactly were their secret missions? What relevance has all this for today’s struggles for social justice and against racism and populism?

As someone who was directly involved with the London Recruits, Bob Klim Allen will tell their remarkable story, which until quite recently, was highly secret. The book, by Merlin Press, “The London Recruits – the secret war against apartheid”, will be on sale (£15 – cash only). All profits go to Nelson Mandela’s Childrens Fund.
Later this year, a documentary film is due for release, so watch this space!