“Sanctions are one of the most effective weapons which the international community can use in support of our revolution.”
—Flyer distributed by the Campaign Against Apartheid (CAA), circa 1985
The largest affiliate of COSATU, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), formed in 1982 as the first union for Black mine workers. Black miners worked dangerous jobs for poverty wages, extracting gold that accounted for half of South Africa’s foreign earnings. In 1987, more than 340,000 mine workers went on strike, facing brutal repression for opposing the apartheid state. Calls for international solidarity with striking workers articulated the direct connection between the US economy, labor, and foreign policy.
Transcription:
DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH SOUTH AFRICAN MINERS
Monday August 26 noon
U.C. Berkeley
South African gold miners open a new front in the battle to bring down the apartheid regime.
On August 25, black miners in South Africa begin a historic general strike against the apartheid system and the mining corporations.
We call on the entire community to join in a day of solidarity with the liberation struggle in South Africa and Namibia, and to renew our calls for full and immediate divestment of U.C.'s $2.4 billion from companies doing business with racist South Africa.
The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) has called on the international community "to give all material and moral support to the militant miners."
SACTU has called for the imposition of sanctions against the apartheid regime, saying: "Sanctions are one of the most effective weapons which the international community can use in support of our revolution."
IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST APARTHEID AND RACISM.
Since June, when the U.C. Regents arrogantly refused to divest, hundreds of people have been murdered by the South African police and army, thousands have been arrested, and untold thousands injured. A "state-of-emergency" has been declared, legitimizing the state-terror or apartheid that has always been the law of the land.
Just as the people of South Africa are saying "NO MORE APARTHEID", we too must take a determined stand, now.
WE DEMAND (1) FULL AND IMMEDIATE DIVESTMENT OF ALL U.C. & U.S. FUNDS FROM CORPORATIONS DOING BUSINESS WITH SOUTH AFRICA;
(2) FULL AMNESTY FOR ALL ANTI-APARTHEID PROTESTORS-DROP THE CHARGES!
Initiated by the CAMPAIGN AGAINST APARTHEID
labor donated
Date: ca. 1985
Attribution: Flyer, circa 1985, Office of Public Information Records, CU-589, Carton 8, University Archives, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.