1980s

British trade union leaders at a vigil outside the mini-summit of Commonwealth leaders at Marlborough House, 3–5 August 1986. At the mini-summit Commonwealth leaders imposed a package of sanctions against South Africa. Left to right: TUC General Secretary Norman Willis, Ron Todd (TGWU), David Williams (COHSE)  and Brenda Dean (SOGAT).

At a mini-summit in London, 3–5 August 1986, Commonwealth leaders agreed on a package of sanctions against South Africa, in spite of opposition from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Earlier in the year a Commonwealth ‘Eminent Persons Group’ visited South Africa and concluded that the apartheid government was not prepared to negotiate an end to white minority rule. Left to right: Commonwealth leaders Brian Mulroney (Canada), Sir Lyndon Pindling (The Bahamas), Kenneth Kaunda (Zamibia), Rajiv Gandhi (India), Margaret Thatcher (UK), Bob Hawke (Australia) and Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe).

Report on the British government’s failure to implement measures against South Africa agreed by the Commonwealth, UN Security Council and European Economic Community. The report was prepared for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting held in London, 3–5 August 1986, following the visit of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group to South Africa.

AAM supporters in Oldham, Greater Manchester, call for sanctions against South Africa in 1986. At the head of the march is the Oldham AA Group banner.

 

 

AAM supporters marched through the centre of Manchester to demand sanctions against South Africa on 8 November.

Anti-apartheid activists drove a model tank to the Shell Centre on London’s South Bank on 15 November 1986. They were highlighting Shell’s role in supplying fuel for the South African Defence in Namibia. The action was part of an International Day of Action against Shell supported by groups in the USA, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Australia. The AAM launched a total boycott of Shell from 1 March 1987.

Leaflet advertising a concert organised by Artists Against Apartheid at the Royal Albert Hall in November 1986. The concert was rescheduled because band member Johnny Marr was hurt in a car accident. It eventually took place at the Brixton Academy on 12 December. The concert was one of many high profile gigs arranged by Artists Against Apartheid to raise funds for the AAM.

Ras Kuomba Balogun of St Paul’s Apartheid Free Zone Campaign in Bristol and Marion Wallace of End Loans of Southern Africa (ELTSA) at the London AA Committee’s ‘Making the Boycott Bite’ conference, 30 November 1986.