BOOK LAUNCH: International Brigade Against Apartheid: 
Secrets of the People’s War that Liberated South Africa

The international anti-apartheid movement deservedly occupies an important chapter in the history of the struggle against white supremacy and imperialism. People of all generations and every corner of the world acknowledge and celebrate that history.

In this book, we read for the first time from internationalists around the world—including many Canadians—who secretly worked for Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), in the struggle to liberate South Africa from apartheid rule. They acted as couriers, provided safe houses in neighbouring states and within South Africa, helped infiltrate combatants across borders, and smuggled tons of weapons into the country in the most creative of ways. Driven by a spirit of international solidarity, they were prepared to take huge risks and face great danger.

In the book, first-hand accounts from internationalists reveal what motivated them as volunteers, not mercenaries: they gained nothing for their endeavours save for the self-esteem in serving a just cause. Against such clandestine involvement, the book includes contributions from key people in the international anti-apartheid movement and its public mobilization to isolate the apartheid regime. The public, global anti-apartheid movement campaigns provide the context from which emerged the internationalists who secretly served MK.

Join us for the book launch, and meet two Canadians who played a clandestine role in the people’s war that liberated South Africa.

The event is co-sponsored by Daraja Press and Amandla! Radio

Thursday, June 16, 2022, 5:00pm EST

PANEL

* Ronnie Kasrils – Editor of the book, former South African Minister for Intelligence Services and member of Umkhonto we Sizwe

* Sue Godt – Contributor to the book; Sue was involved in solidarity efforts in Canada and southern Africa from the early 1970s and was active in MK from 1988 to 1991. She became a citizen of South Africa, worked in development for the past 30 years and now supports efforts to counter neoliberal processes.

* Martha Gordon – Contributor to the book; Martha was in MK 1989-1994 and remains in South Africa where she has worked in media, education and health and is now a full time priest.

* Andrea Meeson – Contributor to the book; Andrea served in the military underground of the ANC for 7.5 years, and thereafter lived and worked in Johannesburg for nearly two decades. She is a freelance editor, writer and project administrator, currently based in Toronto.

* Doug Miller – Host, Amandla! radio; Doug Miller was involved in the anti-apartheid struggle from the early 1970s in Ottawa, Lusaka and Montreal. He has been co-producing Amandla Radio since 1997 and is currently animating the collection of stories for the Canadian Anti-Apartheid Activists History Project.

* Gwen Schulman – Gwen was an activist in the Canadian anti-apartheid movement. She is co-founder and co-host of Amandla! radio. She lives and works in Montréal as a translator and is helping to gather testimonials for the Canadian Anti-Apartheid Activists History Project.

* Firoze Manji – Publisher, Daraja Press; Adjunct Prof at Institute of African Studies, Carleton University. Old dog trying to learn new tricks

MODERATOR: Adrian Harewood – Co-host of CBC News Ottawa, Professor of Journalism, Carleton University

 

Date

Jun 16 2022
Expired!

Time

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Daraja Press

Organizer

Daraja Press
Email
[email protected]