The Association of West-European Parliamentarians for Action against Apartheid (AWEPAA) started in 1984 to mobilise politicians in European parliaments in the struggle against apartheid. Parliamentarians worked for effective sanction policies, they monitored the implementation and they sought to hold governments accountable for their policies. In 1993, AWEPAA was renamed the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA).
African Skies is a foundation for audio-visual archives and productions on Southern Africa. African Skies was founded in 1995, shortly after the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994. The roots of African Skies can be found in the Dutch Anti-Apartheid Movement. The Dutch AAM facilitated and sponsored the foundation of African Skies.
The Association of West-European Parliamentarians for Action against Apartheid (AWEPAA) started in 1984 to mobilise politicians in European parliaments in the struggle against apartheid. Parliamentarians worked for effective sanction policies, they monitored the implementation and they sought to hold governments accountable for their policies. In 1993, AWEPAA was renamed the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA).
The Women’s Union started its activities in 1946 as the women’s union of the political party PvdA. In 1969 the Women's Union changed its name to Women's Contact. It was renamed the Red Women (Rooie Vrouwen) in 1975. They participated in campaigns of the national AAMs as well as Amnesty International Netherlands.
Amnesty International (AI) Netherlands started in 1968 and was mainly active around issues concerning political prisoners, the death sentence and other human rights violations in South Africa.
The Angola Comité was established in 1961 to support the freedom struggle in Angola, later expanding its focus to include the whole of Southern Africa. In 1976, following the end of Portuguese colonialism, the Angola Comité was renamed the Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika (KZA) (known in English as the Holland Committee on Southern Africa). KZA was involved in campaigns to isolate South Africa including campaigns for sanctions and divestment and against banks making loans to South Africa. With another Dutch organization, Werkgroep Kairos (Working Group Kairos/ Stichting Kairos), the KZA was active in the Shell boycott campaign. It also campaigned in support of the sports boycott of apartheid South Africa. The KZA had an important success in 1985 when it forced the banks to stop selling the South African gold coin, the Krugerrand. After the end of apartheid, the KZA, the Anti-Apartheids Beweging Nederland (Dutch Anti-Apartheid Movement) and the Eduardo Mondlane Stichting (Eduardo Mondlane Foundation) established the Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NiZA). In 2007 NiZA merged with ActionAid, and in 2012 became operational as ActionAid Netherlands.
The BOA was established in 1970 by Esau du Plessis, an exiled South African. It mainly campaigned for the consumer boycott of Outspan fruit in the Netherlands.
The OvRF started in 1982 on the initiative of the AABN and mobilised people in the broadcasting sector to support Radio Freedom, the radio station of the ANC. Their aim being to raise financial support to train and equip several broadcasting stations for Radio Freedom. The organisation operated until 1995.
Comité Zuid-Afrika (CZA, Committee on South Africa) was founded in 1959 and dissolved in 1971. One of its focus areas was political prisoners. The Defence and Aid Fund Nederland, which was founded in 1971, grew out of CZA.
CASA was initiated by the AABN in 1986 to organise a big conference and festival in which hundreds of cultural workers from the ANC and from inside South Africa participated to discuss the future cultural policy of the country and to exchange with Dutch cultural workers. It closed down in 1988.
DAF Netherlands was established in 1965. It came out of the Comité Zuid-Afrika (founded in 1960), was affiliated to the IDAF, and was disbanded in 1991. It concentrated on fundraising for the defence of political prisoners and support to their families in South Africa. It also published informational materials.
The CPN was founded in 1935 and existed till 1991 when it merged with other political parties. The Working Group South Africa of the Party organised its solidarity work with South Africa and maintained contacts with the national AAMs and international solidarity organisations.
The Foundation Malibongwe was initiated by the AABN in 1988 to organise a women’s conference with ANC women and women from inside South Africa to exchange information and to discuss gender policies for a new South Africa. The foundation closed down in 1991.
The X-Y Movement started in 1973 and it received its funds from its members. Its main aim was to support liberation movements and work towards international structural change. It was active in boycott campaigns, gave direct support to liberation movements, and organised information activities. It also supported the work of the national AAMs.
The ANJV started in 1945 as a socialist youth organisation. It was very active in international solidarity campaigns, and besides organising its own activities, it also participated in campaigns organised by the national AAMs. They were especially active in organising students at secondary schools.
The ASVA was founded in 1945 as a student organisation at the University of Amsterdam. It became involved in general political activities and was very active in campaigns of the national AAMs as well as own campaigns for the scientific isolation of South Africa.
The KZA existed from 1976 till 1996. It continued the work of the Angola Committee which started in 1961 in support of the liberation movements in the Portuguese colonies. It fundraised for material support to the liberation movements. One of its big campaigns was the oil boycott, mainly directed against (Royal Dutch) Shell. It bought shares in order to be able to attend shareholders meetings where it could pressure Shell to withdraw from South Africa. It initiated the formation of the Shipping Research Bureau, together with Kairos, and was part of the Liaison Group. The KZA merged with the AABN and the EMF in 1997 to form NIZA.
Karel Roskam was a radio journalist with the progressive broadcaster Vara. He was also a member of Omroep voor Radio Freedom. He produced numerous radio programmes and interviewed many people during the period 1961-1992.
In the Netherlands, as in several other countries, municipalities became active against apartheid in the second half of the 1980s. Their activities were especially directed towards consumer boycott campaigns and they worked with the national AAMs.
Ma Thoko was initiated by several gay members of the AABN, together with gay organisations in the Netherlands. It existed from 1990-1993 as a support group of non-racist gay organisations and policy in South Africa, especially GLOW.
Pieter Boersma is an Amsterdam-based photographer who had worked with the national AAMs and the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPAA) for many years. He took photographs of demonstrations and conferences, and visited projects of the ANC in Africa. He also attended numerous international anti-apartheid conferences.
The Shipping Research Bureau was a specialist organisation, mainly dealing with research into the oil trade with South Africa and alerting the world to breaches of the UN oil embargo. It pressured national governments to adopt sanctions against South Africa. It was founded by the Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika (KZA) and Working Group Kairos in 1980, and continued operating until 1995.
The SA/NAM was founded in 1986 and worked until 1993 to co-ordinate development projects in South Africa and Namibia. In South Africa, most of the funds went to the Kagiso Trust. The funds mainly came from SA/NAM members, European NGOs and anti-apartheid organisations, as well as from the European Special Programme for Victims of Apartheid (ESP).
The State Archives collection focuses mainly on the Dutch squatter movement, and includes material related to the movement's activities against apartheid. The movement carried out radical actions against companies dealing with South Africa, and operated in a semi-underground manner. The archive is housed at the International Institute for Social History in Amsterdam.
The support group was formed when Dutch-Belgian couple De Jonge and Passtoors was arrested in South Africa in 1985 for smuggling weapons and explosives for the ANC into the country. De Jonge managed to seek refuge in the Dutch embassy in Pretoria, which caused a big diplomatic row. He stayed there for two years until he was exchanged with a South African prisoner. Passtoors was convicted of High Treason and imprisoned from 1985-1989. The support group, which campaigned for their release, closed down in 1989.
The We and Them Foundation was founded in 1982 by the International Development Cooperation of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV). Besides direct support to trade unions in South Africa, the foundation also participated in campaigns of the national AAMs. It changed its name to FNV Mondiaal in 1997.
The Women’s Union started its activities in 1946 as the women’s union of the political party PvdA. In 1969 the Women's Union changed its name to Women's Contact. It was renamed the Red Women (Rooie Vrouwen) in 1975. They participated in campaigns of the national AAMs as well as Amnesty International Netherlands.
The Working Group Kairos was founded in 1970 in support of the Christian Institute in South Africa. Its main focus was on human rights violations and to raise support for sanctions and disinvestments and campaigned against Shell. It worked especially in the Christian community in the Netherlands and was instrumental in the foundation of the Shipping Research Bureau (SRB). It was renamed Stichting Kairos (Kairos Foundation), date unknown.
VKW was founded in 1976 by representatives from Christian women’s organisations and continued to operate till 1991. It was a solidarity organisation with women in developing countries and encouraged women in the Netherlands to be active for change. It had a special working group on South Africa and worked especially on practical support to women’s organisations in South Africa and boycott campaigns.
Some British Foreign office documents on the arrest of Nelson Mandela in August 1962 and the death of the Secretary- General of the UN, Dag Hammerskjold on 16 October 1961, the file also includes military sales to South Africa -1966 tracking station defense.
Minutes of Executive Committee 1960-1967, Correspondence and other organisational documents on various activities. Correspondence press cuttings in the Netherlands and internationally 1959-1967.
Welcome Mandela activities includes Broadcast on Radio Freedom of Nelson Mandela campaign to fundraise for elections and voted education in South Africa.
Correspondence, memoranda, campaign materials and lists. The collection includes: Correspondence between the Comite Zuid-Afrika and the African National Congress (ANC) London office concerning the Rivonia Trial and pressure being placed on the Dutch government to condemn the trial. Campaigns for the release of the Rivonia Trialists, and about 5000 political prisoners in South Africa. Open letter by the Anti-apartheid Movement, soliciting support from abroad for those under house arrest in South Africa, and encouraging that letters of support is sent to Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe at Pretoria Central Prison (1962). The collection also includes: References to the Freedom Charter and the Congress of the People. List of South Africans under house arrest, together with the conditions of their five-year banning orders. They include Helen Joseph, Ahmed Kathrada, Walter Sisulu, Jack and Rica Hodgson, Jack Tarshish, Brian and Sonia Bunting, Roley Arenstein, Michael Harmel, Moses Kotane, Lionel Bernstein, Alfred Nzo, Thomas Nkobi, MacDonald Maseko, Duma Nokwe, Cecil Williams and Alex La Guma. Correspondence from Karel Roskam to Christian Action concerning the raising of funds in the Netherlands for the Defence and Aid Fund set up by Canon Collins (1959 - 1960).
Memoranda, correspondence, reports, messages of support, newsletters, news clippings, minutes of meetings, financial reports, statements, project evaluations, budgets and campaign materials of the AABN, include: Activities of the AABN in their calls for the release of Nelson Mandela (1981 - 1982). Action by 1400 mayors from across the world, petitioning the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners (1982). Campaigns for Nelson Mandela's release from prison (1985 - 1990). Nelson Mandela's visits to the Netherlands in March and June 1990. This includes notes on the policies of the Dutch government towards South Africa, as well as lists of delegates, the list of South Africans to meet Nelson Mandela at Schipol airport, itineraries and programmes. The Welcome Mandela Committee including its contacts and details of activities. These include both local and international activities in which the Committee was involved including a Welcome Mandela Festival (1989 - 1990). The 1989 political prisoner hunger strike on Robben Island, and a memorandum issued by prisoners. The full text of Nelson Mandela's speech on the Grand Parade in Cape Town on the day of his release from prison (1990). The Mandela International Reception Committee. Reactions to the news of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
An album of photographs of Nelson Mandela, including: Portrait photographs of Nelson Mandela, many of which were taken by Eli Weinberg. There are photographs with Kaiser Matanzima, and of Nelson Mandela together with his son, Thembekile, as well as Nelson and Winnie Mandela on their wedding day. Includes photographs of Nelson Mandela wearing traditional beads, Mandela in boxing gear, at his law office, burning his pass, and in disguise while in hiding from the police as the "Black Pimpernel." (1950s - 1960s). Nelson Mandela after his acquittal at the treason trial, with Essop Pahad in the background. Nelson Mandela addressing the All-in-Africa Conference in Pietermaritzburg in 1961. Photographs are by Joe Gqabi. Photographs of Nelson Mandela with military officers in Algiers, and with Oliver Tambo in Addis Ababa, during his secret Africa trip in 1962. Nelson Mandela in Parliament Square, London, 1962. Photographs by Mary Benson. Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu on Robben Island in 1966.The concert in celebration of Mandela's 70th birthday. The 1988 artist's impression of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela's release from prison, including a scene of him addressing a mass gathering in Cape Town on the day of his release from prison. Also featured in these photographs are Winnie Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Cyril Ramaphosa. Photographers include Yunus Mohamed. Post-release portraits, some that originates from the International Defence and Aid Fund. Photographers include Pieter Boersma and Piet den Blanken. Nelson Mandela addressing meetings on his visit to the Netherlands in June 1990. Also featured in these photographs are Winnie Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Photographers include Jan Stegeman, Pieter Boersma and Kadir van Lohuizen. Nelson Mandela being awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of the Western Cape. Featured in the photographs are Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Professor Jaap Durand and Professor Stanley Ridge. Photographs are by Rashid Lombard. Nelson Mandela alongside a mural in Cape Town. Photograph by the Cape Argus. Nelson Mandela on the platform with Tokyo Sexwale and others at an ANC election mass meeting held at the Kwamazizi Stadium, 12 March 1994. Photographs are by B. Bohler. Photographs of Winnie and Zindzi Mandela, including Winnie in traditional dress, her attendance of political funerals in South Africa in 1985, and Zindzi addressing the crowd at a mass gathering at Jabulani Stadium in 1985. Photographers include Alf Kumalo and Gideon Mendell.
Collection of photographs documenting Nelson Mandela's release from prison, and his visit to the Netherlands in June 1990. Includes images of celebrations in honour of Nelson Mandela's release from prison in February 1990 attended by Dennis Goldberg, as well as Nelson Mandela addressing meetings and greeting supporters in Amsterdam (June 1990).
Correspondence, reports, memoranda, speeches, news clippings, financial reports and other documentation concerning the KZAs support to the ANC's 1994 election campaign. Documentation on, and correspondence with, the ANC president Nelson Mandela. Subjects covered include: Nelson Mandela's visit to the Netherlands as part of an ANC fund-raising campaign (1994). Nelson Mandela's address at a forum organised by World Com, the Netherlands (1994). The campaign entitled 'Geef Zuid-Afrika Een Eerlike Kans' which raised more than R5.9 million for the ANC within the first few hours of the campaign (1993 - 1994).The itinerary of Nelson Mandela's visit to the Netherlands on the 17th and 18th February 1994.
"Solidarity with South Africa" demonstration held in Amsterdam in 1976, with demonstrators carrying placards of Nelson Mandela. Nelson and Winnie Mandela being greeted by thousands of supporters in Leidseplein, Amsterdam in June 1990. Nelson Mandela addressing the crowd at Leidseplein, Amsterdam as well as other images of Nelson Mandela's visit to Amsterdam in 1990. Photographers include Hans van der Bogaard, Roel Rozenburg and Marja Sonneveld.
Collection of anti-apartheid memorabilia produced by, amongst other organisations, the ANC, International Defence and Aid Fund, Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa and the Anti-Apartheid Movement. Includes t-shirts and wall hangings.
Photographs of a young ANC supporter wearing a "Welcome Home Nelson Mandela" t-shirt, and of an ANC election billboard with Nelson Mandela's image. Photographers are Joost Hartog and Jan Stegeman.
Collection of photographs, including the following: ANC election gathering with Nelson Mandela, held in the Northern Transvaal in 1994. Preparations for an ANC election gathering in the Eastern Transvaal in 1994, with a supporter mounting "Mandela for President" posters. Nelson Mandela flanked by supporters on the day of his inauguration as President of South Africa in May 1994. Placard-carrying supporters of Nelson Mandela and the ANC. Photographs are by Kadir van Lohuizen.
Correspondence, memoranda, campaign materials and lists. The collection includes: -Correspondence between the Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika and the African National Congress (ANC) London office concerning the Rivonia Trial and pressure being placed on the Dutch government to condemn the trial. -Campaigns for the release of the Rivonia Trialists, and about 5000 political prisoners in South Africa.
Working papers of The International Confederation of Trade Unions. Rivonia Trial related records: 4873 Correspondence concerning the Rivonia trial. 1963-1965. 1 folder. 4874-4875 Correspondence concerning the Treason Trials. Including correspondence with the South Africa Defence and Aid Fund. 1956-1969. 2 folders. 48741956-1962. 48751963-1969.
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
Comité Zuid-Afrika (CZA, Committee on South Africa) was founded in 1959 and dissolved in 1971. One of its focus areas was political prisoners. The Defence and Aid Fund Nederland, which was founded in 1971, grew out of CZA.
Nelson Mandela received the " Golden Balance for Peace Prize" from Reny Nijmand and A. Sloot. Zach de Beer is also in one photo. Very bad quality. Taken in the Netherlands
The IISH holds many collections of the international trade union secretariats and international human rights organisations. It also holds the archives of most Dutch trade unions and Anti-apartheid Movements.
The Shipping Research Bureau was a specialist organisation, mainly dealing with research into the oil trade with South Africa and alerting the world to breaches of the UN oil embargo. It pressured national governments to adopt sanctions against South Africa. It was founded by the Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika (KZA) and Working Group Kairos in 1980, and continued operating until 1995.
Ceremony for bestowing the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award on Mandela for his for his fight against discrimination and for equal rights and opportunities for all.
On receiving the Golden Medal of the City of Amsterdam ; South African Government Information Website has the date as 11 March 1999. It is not known which is the correct date.
