THE ORIGINS OF NON-RACIALISM
WHITE OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID IN THE 1950s
THE ORIGINS OF NON-RACIALISM
WHITE OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID IN THE 1950s
DAVID EVERATT
Wits University Press
1 Jan Smuts Avenue
Johannesburg
South Africa
Copyright © David Everatt 2009
First published 2009
ISBN (print) 978-1-86814-500-3
ISBN (EPUB - IPG) 978-1-86814-799-1
ISBN (EPUB - ROW) 978-1-86814-800-4
ISBN (PDF) 978-1-86814-658-1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express permission, in writing, of both the copyright holders and the publisher.
Cover image adapted from the Freedom Charter Pamphlet:
Eli Weinberg, UWC Robben-Island Mayibuye Archives
Edited by Pat Tucker
Cover design by Hothouse South Africa
Layout and design by Hothouse South Africa
Printed and bound by Creda Communications
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the loves of my life, my wife Cathi, and my children, Josie and Jonathon.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Whites and the ANC, 1945–1950
Chapter 2 The emergence of white opposition to apartheid, 1950–1953
Chapter 3 Multiracialism: Communist plot or anti-Communist ploy?
Chapter 4 From CPSA to SACP via CST: Socialist responses to African nationalism, 1952–1954
Chapter 5 The South African Congress of Democrats
Chapter 6 The Liberal Party of South Africa
Chapter 7 Overhauling liberalism
Chapter 8 The Congress of the People
Chapter 9 The Freedom Charter and the politics of non-racialism, 1956–1960
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Books generate debts, and I owe many people far more than I will ever be able to repay. A few, however, deserve special mention.
This book began life as a doctoral thesis in the dark and gloomy days of the 1980s, and I owe my supervisor, the inimitable Stanley Trapido, far more than I knew when we worked together or even fully grasp now. His is one of the many voices in my head.
Secondly, to all the remarkable people who populate the pages of this book, many of whom I had the privilege of meeting, all of whom were unfailingly generous with their time, their private papers, their memories, their gossip and all of whom – from conservative liberal to radical Trotskyist – shared an indefatigable belief in the ultimate triumph of non-racialism over apartheid. Their generosity of spirit and commitment to the ideal of a democratic South Africa taught me more than they will ever know, and all I can offer is deeply sincere thanks and this book.
The original thesis was typed in the days when floppy discs were consider ed the height of technological sophistication. When I came to re-work the thesis into a book, floppy discs could reduce computers to hysterical laughter – but no more than that. So my thanks to Phindi Hlatswayo who painstakingly re-typed the entire thesis (onto a stiffy disc, as useful nowadays as a floppy disc…).
Raymond Suttner pushed me to publish, and I would never have done so without his prompting. He, Rupert Taylor and Gerry Mare all offered good advice on how to improve the manuscript, for which I am enormously grateful. I even took some of that advice!
And finally, family and friends, the people who have to look politely interested in lengthy mealtime perorations about obscure yet (surely) fascinating moments in the past – my thanks to you one and all. But don’t imagine you’re getting a free copy in return for listening….
List of abbreviations
| AAC | All-African Convention |
| ADP | African Democratic Party |
| AES | Army Education Service |
| ANC | African National Congress |
| ANCYL | African National Congress Youth League |
| APO | African People’s Organisation |
| ARM | African Resistance Movement |
| CC | Central Committee |
| COD | Congress of Democrats |
| CoP | Congress of the People |
| COSATU | Congress of South African Trade Unions |
| CNETU | Council for Non-European Trade Unions |
| CPSA | Communist Party of South Africa |
| CRL | Civil Rights League |
| CST | colonialism of a special type |
| DL | Democratic League |
| FRAC | Franchise Action Committee |
| FSAW | Federation of South African Women |
| FSU | Friends of the Soviet Union |
| LP | Liberal Party of South Africa |
| MP | Member of Parliament |
| MRC | Multi-Racial Conference |
| MYS |
Modern Youth Society
|