The British Anti-Apartheid Movement was at the centre of the international movement opposing the South African racial segregation system, Apartheid. By the late 1980s the UK Movement had unleashed a number of campaigns and branches and become one of the most powerful international solidarity efforts in history.

In this ‘100 Campaigns that changed the world” podcast three prominent UK anti-apartheid activists and organisers from the time are featured: Chitra Karve, who was an Anti-Apartheid Movement staff member from 1986 to 1989 and helped organise the 1988 Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign, Suresh Kamath who was formerly Vice-Chair of the Movement, and helped to organise the Mandela freedom concert at Wembley Stadium in April 1990, and Tim Oshodi who was Chair of the London School of Economics AA Group and took part in an occupation of the LSE, and was a member of the Black Solidarity Committee. 

The Anti-Apartheid Movement’s badge was first worn by people protesting against the Sharpeville massacre outside South Africa House in March 1960. Badge, pictured courtesy Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives  

The three interviewees give some fascinating insights into what was one of the most important and ultimately successful campaigns of the 20th Century, and reflect on what what went well, what went wrong and what contemporary campaigners can learn from their experience.  

“100 Campaigns that changed the world” is a bimonthly podcast by Steve Tibbet , hosted on Acast, that showcases the best advocacy campaigns from past and present. Their strapline is “Learning the lessons from social and political campaigns that have made an impact. A tool for campaigners and those that are interested in how change happens”  

Listen to the podcast