Draft:Actions taken by the South African Government against NUSAS Presidents, Leaders, and Members

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This is a list of actions taken by the South African Government against presidents, leaders and members of the National Union of South African Students.

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The National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) was founded in 1924 and dissolved in 1991. Affiliation to NUSAS was determined by student vote at each institution, after which all enrolled students became members.[1]

South Africa's two official languages were English and Afrikaans. NUSAS was largely active on university and other campuses which were English-speaking.[2]

The South African government was led by the National Party from 1948 to 1994. Apartheid was its racial policy, and individuals were classified by race, and segregated by race. Although the majority of its members were students classified as white, NUSAS maintained a non-racial stance and included members classified as black, Indian, and coloured.[3]

Equal civil and political rights were denied to the non-white majority. NUSAS was active in advocating a non-racial society with full civil rights, and for academic freedom. It opposed apartheid and state repression of dissent and opposition, leading to many of its leaders and members experiencing significant political persecution.[3]

The South African Government took a wide range of actions against NUSAS leaders and members, both when they were students, and later. Many went into exile. Government actions included open surveillance, interrogation, detention without trial, solitary confinement, banning orders, house arrest, passport revocations, citizenship withdrawals, criminal prosecutions, and in extreme cases, deaths in custody and assassination.[3]

While government actions were often targeted at those holding office in NUSAS, other NUSAS members were targeted due to their involvement with other organisations, including the African Resistance Movement (ARM).[2]

NUSAS Presidents and actions taken against them

NUSAS presidents were elected annually. The following table summarises notable actions taken by the government against individuals during or after their terms:

  • 1955–56: John Mowbray Didcott – Left for Rhodesia in 1960 under threat of Security Branch action; later returned to South Africa.[4]
  • 1959: Neville Nordau Rubin – Under threat of arrest as a member of ARM, he escaped to Mozambique in 1965; arrested there but released; went into exile in England.[5]
  • 1960: John David Shingler – Left on a scholarship in 1961, subsequently had his passport withdrawn and citizenship revoked; went into exile in Canada.[6]
  • 1961–62: Adrian Leftwich – Detained under the 90-day law in 1964; held in solitary confinement; turned state witness in the 1964 trials; went into exile in England.[7]
  • 1963: Basil Moore – President-elect but stood down; passport revoked 1968; banned and house arrest 1971; went into exile in England and then Australia.[8]
  • 1963–64: Charles Jonathan "Jonty" Driver – Detained under the 90-day law in 1964; held in solitary confinement, released without charge; passport revoked; citizenship withdrawn; escaped into exile in England.[9]
  • 1964–65: Maeder Osler – Under surveillance by security police while acting as president following Driver's departure.[10]
  • 1966: Ian Robertson – Banned in 1966 shortly after taking office; went into exile in the USA.[11]
  • 1967: Margaret Hilary Marshall – Emigrated to the United States in 1968 to escape political persecution.[12]
  • 1968: John Sprack – Passport revoked; citizenship withdrawn; deported to Rhodesia in 1967 before taking office; went into exile in England.[13]
  • 1968: Arthur John Campbell "John" Daniel – Passport revoked; went into exile in the USA; later deported from Swaziland; went into exile in England.[14]
  • 1968: Duncan Innes – Denied a passport.[15]
  • 1969–70: Neville Wilson Curtis – Denied a passport in 1972; banned in 1973; escaped in 1974; went into exile in Australia.[16]
  • 1971–72: Paul Joseph Pretorius – Passport withdrawn 1972; banned 1973.[17]
  • 1973–74: Charles Nupen – Arrested; tried with furthering aims of a banned organisation; acquitted.[18]
  • 1976–77: Nicholas Roland Leybourne "Fink" Haysom – Detained; solitary confinement; banned.[19]
  • 1978–79: Auret van Heerden – Detained; solitary confinement; went into exile.[20]
  • 1980–81: Andrew Michael Boraine – Detained; solitary confinement; banned.[21]

Other NUSAS Leaders and activists and actions taken against them

The following table summarises notable actions taken by the government against individuals during or after their terms; it is not a comprehensive list.

  • Sheila Barsel (Lapinsky) – Long-term NUSAS executive officer; banned along with other key NUSAS figures in 1973.[22]
  • Bantu Stephen "Steve" Biko – Was continually under surveillance by security police; resigned from NUSAS 1969; banned 1973; died in custody 1977.[23]
  • Jeanette Eva Curtis (Schoon) – NUSAS Vice-President 1972; banned 1976; escaped into exile 1977; assassinated in Angola in 1984.[24]
  • Peter "Pete" Harris – Chair of the Rhodes University Student Council; passport revoked; citizenship withdrawn; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Horrell, Muriel (1969).[25]
  • Ian Kirby – Member of the Rhodes University Student Council; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Horst Kleinschmidt – NUSAS Deputy Vice-President 1969; detained 1975; passport revoked; went into exile in England.[26]
  • John Lloyd – Detained under the 90‑day law in 1964; held in solitary confinement; turned state witness in the 1964 trials; went into exile in England.[27]
  • Glenn Moss – NUSAS Deputy Vice‑President 1969; arrested; tried with furthering the aims of a banned organisation; acquitted; passport revoked.[28]
  • Andrew James Marshall "Andy" Murray – NUSAS Deputy Vice-President 1968; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Charles Edward Wickens Simkins – Member of the Witwatersrand University Student Council; banned for 5 years.[29]
  • Richard "Rick" Turner – Banned; assassinated in 1978.[30]
  • David Webster – Assassinated in 1989.[31]

See also

Further reading

  • Kline, Benjamin. The National Union of South African Students: A Case Study of the Plight of Liberalism, 1924–77. The Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 23, no. 1 (1985): 139–145. JSTOR
  • Driver, C.J. Dayspring: A Memoir. Karavan Press, 2024.
  • Anti-Apartheid Movements in South Africa: A Study Guide. ERIC, 1974. ERIC

Other NUSAS Leaders and activists and actions taken against them

  • Sheila Barsel (Lapinsky) – Long-term NUSAS executive officer; banned along with other key NUSAS figures in 1973.[32]
  • Bantu Stephen "Steve" Biko – Was continually under surveillance by security police; resigned from NUSAS 1969; banned 1973; died in custody 1977.[33]
  • Jeanette Eva Curtis (Schoon) – NUSAS Vice-President 1972; banned 1976; escaped into exile 1977; assassinated in Angola in 1984.[34]
  • Peter "Pete" Harris – Chair of the Rhodes University Student Council; passport revoked; citizenship withdrawn; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Ian Kirby – Member of the Rhodes University Student Council; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Horst Kleinschmidt – NUSAS Deputy Vice-President 1969; detained 1975; passport revoked; went into exile in England.[35]
  • John Lloyd – Detained under the 90-day law in 1964; held in solitary confinement; turned state witness in the 1964 trials; went into exile in England.[36]
  • Glenn Moss – NUSAS Deputy Vice-President 1969; arrested; tried with furthering the aims of a banned organisation; acquitted; passport revoked.[37]
  • Andrew James Marshall "Andy" Murray – NUSAS Deputy Vice-President 1968; deported to Rhodesia in 1968.[25]
  • Charles Edward Wickens Simkins – Member of the Witwatersrand University Student Council; banned for 5 years.[38]
  • Richard "Rick" Turner – Banned; assassinated in 1978.[39]
  • David Webster – Assassinated in 1989.[40]

See also

Further reading

  • Kline, Benjamin. "The National Union of South African Students: A Case Study of the Plight of Liberalism, 1924–77." The Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 23, no. 1 (1985): 139–145. JSTOR.
  • Driver, C.J. Dayspring: A Memoir. Karavan Press, 2024.
  • Anti-Apartheid Movements in South Africa: A Study Guide. ERIC, 1974.

References

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