Poster Power: Protest Art from South Africa
A collection of South African Resistance Posters of the 1980s
By Robben Island Museum
Robben Island Museum
The art of revolution
Posters can be a very beautiful form of propaganda. They are a very powerful way of conveying information, provided they are simple and to the point. And the posters issued by the democratic movement in South Africa have been very effective. … One way in which we could see the effect of posters was the change in the perceptions and in the level of political consciousness of the young people who came to prison. Foreword by Nelson Mandela in “Images of Defiance”, a collection of South African Resistance Posters of the 1980s.
Campaign For Alternative National Service by ECC and printed by SAS (Said & Son’s – Cape Town)Robben Island Museum
“Posters are not simply public notices. A public notice aims to inform or command. A poster aims to seduce, to exhort, to sell, to educate, to convince, to appeal. Whereas a public notice distributes information to interested or alert citizens, a poster reaches out to grab those who might otherwise pass it by. A public notice posted on a wall is passive… A poster claims attention – at a distance. It is visually aggressive.”
Susan Sontag, “The Art of Revolution – 96 Posters from Cuba”.
Education
“When we have control over native education, I will reform it, so that natives will be taught from childhood that equality with Europeans is not for them.”
- Dr H. F. Verwoerd, Minister of Native Affairs, grand architect of Bantu Education, which was introduced in 1953. It marked the beginning of separate education in South Africa - in the 1970s, for every R1 spent on the education of a black child, R14 was spent on that of a white child.
In response to the inferior quality of Bantu Education alternative education structures, operating as non-governmental organizations emerged nationally in an effort to fill the void.
The South African Council for Higher Education (Sached), formed in the 1960s, focused on, among others, literacy, national and international history, politics, and social anthropology.
The Community Arts Project (CAP) was established in 1977 to enable and empower people interested in visual arts, music, drama and dance. It also offered computer literacy classes and broader general awareness programmes.
Rumour and Suspicion (1991) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Rumour and Suspicion
Silkscreen poster – 1 from a series of 4 (1991)
Produced by CAP conveying an educational approach to the historical importance of June 16, 1976 uprising.
Our Students and Our Teachers (1980) by National Education Crisis CommitteeRobben Island Museum
Our Students and Our Teachers
Silkscreen poster – (mid 1980’s)
Produced by National Education Crisis Committee (NECC – a broad alliance of parents, teachers and students) and Free The Children Alliance. They joined forces to mobilize support for educational reform.
Woodstock Advice Office (1989) by Argyle Street Advice OfficeRobben Island Museum
Woodstock Advice Office
Silkscreen poster – (1989)
Produced by the Argyle Street Advice Office, at CAP, inviting people to raise problems of high rental, unfair dismissals etc.
Have You Seen, Heard or Thought About Sached Videos? by South African Council for Higher LearningRobben Island Museum
Have You Seen, Heard or Thought About Sached Videos?
Offset Litho poster – (date unknown)
Produced by South African Council for Higher Learning (SACHED), making people aware of their video resource material.
Electronic Dialogues (1989) by Western Cape Institute for Historical ResearchRobben Island Museum
Electronic Dialogues
Offset Litho poster – (1989)
Produced by the Western Cape Institute for Historical Research, inviting the public to the UWC, I.H.R. History Week, using electronic dialogue linkup with South Africa and America.
Culture
The widespread repression of the 80s unleashed a wave of cultural expression and activity that provided a source of strength, communication and resistance for the liberation movements.
One of the key activities of community-based organisations were to organise festivals to encourage creative writing, poster- and music-making, art, and participation in theatre productions.
Staging cultural events was also a means to raise funds to cover costs of running organizations and alternative media productions such as the Grassroots newspaper.
The declaration of states of emergency at various times, forced organisations to find new ways of avoiding the ban on public meetings. They did this through art festivals, music festivals, drama performances, house parties and poetry readings.
These included:
RAM (Rock Against Management), formed in the Western Cape in support of workers unfairly dismissed. One of the campaigns was a consumer boycott called against the Wilson-Roundtree sweet factory and fund-raisers were held to help retrenched workers.
Calling All Artists (1986) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Calling All Artists
Silkscreen poster – (1986)
Produced by CAP. This exhibition, which was to be part of the 1986 Cape Town Festival, was banned and the exhibition was only allowed to be open for one day.
Breaking the Silence (1986) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Breaking the Silence
Silkscreen poster – (1986)
Produced by CAP. A response to the banning of The Cape Arts Festival during the 1986 State of Emergency.
Grassroots Expressions (1984) by Grassroots Community NewspaperRobben Island Museum
Grassroots Expressions
Silkscreen poster – (1984)
Produced by Grassroots Community Newspaper at CAP. This was a fundraiser to show solidarity with the oppressed and to keep the political flame burning.
Community Arts Project (1989) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Community Arts Project
Silkscreen poster – (1989)
Produced by CAP to invite the public to join the many art classes on it’s programme.
Cap Chapelst Bands (1989) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Cap Chapelst Bands
Silkscreen poster – (1989)
Produced by CAP for an Annual Open Day Celebration, when art students received awards for their achievements and entertaining the public.
Civic action
The extensive state repression in the 1980s led to increased collaboration between the religious sector, non-government organisations (NGOs), unions, civic bodies and others to strengthen their collective power. Parents, teachers and students formed alliances, especially in the field of education, in response to increasingly repressive government crackdowns.
Political action took various forms: there were boycotts of shops and businesses seen to be supporting apartheid, “stay-aways” from schools, protest marches against the forced removals of people to black housing estates like Khayelitsha, and against high rental and poor housing.
Campaigns were waged to free detainees and to release political prisoners and to remember those who had been tortured, maimed, assassinated, sentenced to death and died in detention for their political convictions.
Close The Racist Parliament Now! (1992) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Close The Racist Parliament Now!
Silkscreen poster – (1992)
Produced by CAP. A campaign by the Tripartite Alliance (ANC, SACP and COSATU).
Compassion Service (1987) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Compassion Service
Offset Litho poster – (1987)
Produced by CAP for the Month of Compassion held once a year to support the poor and marginalized communities of South Africa.
Forward To Socialism (1980) by Cape Youth CongressRobben Island Museum
Forward To Socialism
Silkscreen poster – (late 1980’s)
Produced by Cape Youth Congress (CAYCO) campaigning for the release of all political prisoners and the unbanning of political organizations.
Freedom Is Not Negotiable (1985) by New Unity MovementRobben Island Museum
Freedom Is Not Negotiable
Offset Litho poster – (1985)
Produced by New Unity Movement, which was launched in 1985, replacing the Non-European Movement, founded in 1943.
Köp Inte Sydafrikanska Varor by ScandinaviansRobben Island Museum
Köp Inte Sydafrikanska Varor
Offset Litho poster – (date unknown)
Produced by Scandinavians that embraced the “Don’t buy from South Africa” anti-apartheid campaign.
Ride Safe With ECC (1985) by ECCRobben Island Museum
End conscription
At the end of the 1960s, compulsory military conscription for
all white males was introduced in South
Africa. By late 1983, the Black Sash civil liberties group publicly
called for an end to compulsory conscription and in response, the End
Conscription Campaign (ECC) was formed. Its central demand was the right of
conscripts to choose not to serve in the South African Defence Force (SADF).
The ECC was established as a coalition of many human rights,
student, religious and women’s groups, all opposed to conscription and
militarisation, and committed to working for a just peace in South Africa.
This stand was specifically linked to the role the SADF played
in the country’s townships and in neighbouring states.
The ECC identified itself with the cause of the oppressed and
sought to contribute to the struggle for liberation. It called for the
withdrawal of the SADF from Namibia, Angola and South Africa’s townships. The
ECC demanded an end to the increasing militarisation of all aspects of South
African society and for conscientious objectors to have the right to do
alternative national service.
Ride Safe With ECC
Offset Litho poster – (1985)
Produced by ECC, calling the White community to a meeting to discuss their rights and options regarding military conscription.
Stop The Call-Up (1984) by ECCRobben Island Museum
Stop The Call-Up
Offset Litho poster – (1984)
Produced by ECC. Printed by Esquire Press. A campaign for all White men forced to do military service.
A Well Known Soldier In An Unknown War (1987) by Dutch Anti-Apartheid MovementRobben Island Museum
A Well Known Soldier In An Unknown War
Offset Litho poster – (1987)
Produced by Dutch Anti-Apartheid Movement, in solidarity with the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
Soldiers Out of the Schools (1986) by ECC at STP (Screen Training Project)Robben Island Museum
Soldiers Out of the Schools
Silkscreen poster – (1986)
Produced by ECC at STP (Screen Training Project), to condemn the pressure of SADF troops in townships schools.
Campaign For Alternative National Service by ECC and printed by SAS (Said & Son’s – Cape Town)Robben Island Museum
Campaign For Alternative National Service
Offset Litho poster – (date unknown)
Produced by ECC and printed by SAS (Said & Son’s – Cape Town). A campaign to demand alternatives to military service for White males.
Remember Our Fallen Comrade (1988) by UnknownRobben Island Museum
Our leaders
In the struggle against colonial rule, and later again
apartheid, there have been exceptional men and women, young and old, who have
made an invaluable contribution in fighting injustice so that one day and all
South Africans would be free.
These outstanding people have come from all walks of like, from
all over SA, from different cultures, difficult political persuasions. They
were active in the trade unions, in women’s organisations, they were domestic
workers, teachers, manual labourers, doctors, lawyers, housewives, students who
stood unflinchingly facing the onslaught of an oppressive regime.
Some of these comrades were sentenced to long terms in prison
and suffered at the hands of both prison warders and hardened common law
prisoners. Others were tortured to death, brutally murdered and their bodies
remain in unknown and unmarked graves.
There are those who were sentenced to death and hung; comrades
had to flee the country, pursued by the police, and for many years had to
endure living in exile, away from friends and families.
Remember Our Fallen Comrade
Offset Litho poster – (1988)
Producer Unknown. A commemorative poster for Ashley Kriel, an MK commander from Bonteheuwel, murdered by security police.
Hamba Kahle Comrade Anton Fransch Funeral (1989) by UnknownRobben Island Museum
Hamba Kahle Comrade Anton Fransch Funeral
Offset Litho poster – (1989)
Producer Unknown. A poster advertising the funeral of MK commander Anton Franch, who was brutally murdered by the security police.
Chris Hani Commemoration (1994) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Chris Hani Commemoration
Silkscreen poster – (1994)
Produced by CAP to advertise the commemoration of Chris Hani’s assassination. Joe Slovo is another of our great South African struggle icons.
'Release Mandela' poster by CAPRobben Island Museum
'Release Mandela' poster
Silkscreen poster – (date unknown)
Reproduced by CAP. At the, nobody knew what Mandela looked like. His portrait was often taken from his pre-prison photographs.
Biko Day (1987) by CAPRobben Island Museum
Biko Day
Silkscreen poster – (1987)
Produced by CAP to commemorate the day in 1977 when Steve Biko was tortured to death. He was another one of our great leaders.
Mayday - Workers Day In All Countries by UnknownRobben Island Museum
Labour
The exploitation of workers, particularly Black workers in South
Africa has a long and sordid history. There was need, therefore, for these
workers to stand together and fight for their rights. One of the first trade
unions to organize African workers, the Industrial Workers Union (ICU), was
formed by Clemence Kadalie and by 1919 had already gone on strike.
The Native Labour Act of 1953 stated that Africans could no
longer be members of registered, mixed unions. They could join purely African
trade unions, which could not be registered and could not go on strike. By 1955
the South African Congress of Trade Unions (Sactu), a mixed union, had been
formed.
According to the Bantu Labour Relations Act of 1973, legalized
strikes could only take place under very stringent conditions. The Chemical
Workers Industrial Union was formed in 1973 at a time when African workers were
not allowed to belong to registered trade unions. This legislation was removed
in 1979. Black union members jumped from 40,000 in 1975 to 247,000 in 1981, to
1 million in 1985.
Mayday - Workers Day In All Countries
Silkscreen poster – (date unknown)
Producer unknown. Celebrating May Day in solidarity with all workers in other countries.
South African Railways & Harbour Workers Union 3rd Regional Congress (1994) by CAPRobben Island Museum
South African Railways & Harbour Workers Union 3rd Regional Congress
Digital poster – (1994)
Produced by CAP, for the re-launch of the South African Railways & Harbour Workers Union (SARHWU).
Defend Your Organization (1988) by Chemical Workers UnionRobben Island Museum
Defend Your Organization
Silkscreen poster – (1988)
Produced by Chemical Workers Union (CWIU) at a poster workshop at CAP, to keep workers vigilant during the State of Emergency.
FAWU Special General Meeting poster (1986) by Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU)Robben Island Museum
FAWU Special General Meeting poster
Offset Litho poster – (1986)
Produced by Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), an affiliate of COSATU, advertising their general meeting.
Cosatu 10th Anniversary (1995) by Congress of South African Trade UnionsRobben Island Museum
Cosatu 10th Anniversary
Offset Litho poster – (1995)
Produced by Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). A poster advertising the 10 th anniversary of COSATU. By this time it represented more than 1,5 million workers.
Women and children
The struggle for the emancipation of women from exploitation and oppression is universal. Economic, social and cultural challenges have existed for all women within South African society. Black Women in particular faced new challenges and obstacles when the 1913 land Act became law and dispossessed all black South Africans of their land. This forced Black men to seek work in the cities and on the mines as migrant workers. The burden of caring for the family now fell solely on women and elderly men. As a result of this, women in the rural areas were living under appalling conditions, with little money to feed, clothe and educate their children. In defiance of the law, many rural women flocked to the urban areas to be with their husbands. They also hoped to find work, schools for their children, clinics and hospitals.
As early as 1918, women formed the Bantu Women’s League of South Africa and organized campaigns to fight for women’s rights.
When the Nationalist Party came to power in 1948, the plight of women became worse. They were now faced with forced removals, police brutality, inadequate housing, discrimination in the workplace, no protection as domestic workers or as farm labourers.
In the 1950’s, when influx control and pass laws were introduced, women all over South Africa campaigned against Bantu Education, the pass laws and for other fundamental rights. Not only did women play a role in resisting discriminatory laws which affected all South Africans, they also started looking at issues which affected them in particular: racial and sexual exploitation, unfair labour practice, better treatment at hospitals and maternity rights are examples of these.
National Women's Day by CAPRobben Island Museum
National Women’s Day
Silkscreen poster – (date unknown)
Produced by CAP. Advertising National Women’s Day, 9 August. Many local Cape Town women used this opportunity to raise issues facing women.
Let Us Speak (Children's Day Celebrations) (1986) by Molo Songololo at CAPRobben Island Museum
Let Us Speak (Children's Day Celebrations)
Silkscreen poster – (1986)
Produced by Molo Songololo at CAP. A poster inviting all children to join hands in celebrating International Children’s Day and to make them aware of their rights as children.
Ek voel gelukkig wanneer my ma en pa met my speel (1989) by Vumani Preschool, Cape TownRobben Island Museum
Ek voel gelukkig wanneer my ma en pa met my speel
Produced by Vumani Preschool, Cape Town, in celebration of International Children’s Day. Many organizations like CRC, Molo Songololo and CAP took part in ICD celebrations.
I'm A Child (1991) by CAPRobben Island Museum
I’m A Child
Silkscreen poster / Calendar – (1991)
Produced by CAP. Once a year, CAP, together with other organizations created different cultural programmes as part of the ICD celebrations on 1 June.
Women Workers! (1987) by Congress of South African Trade UnionRobben Island Museum
Women Workers!
Offset Litho poster – (1987)
Produced by Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU). To encourage women workers to fight for their rights, part of COSATU’s campaign for a living wage, paid maternity leave for women, etc.
Voter education
On April, 27, 1994, South Africa held its first ever democratic national election to choose a new government and close the book on Apartheid and white minority rule. A programme of voter education was critical to ensure a free and fair election.
Non-governmental organisations came forward to offer their assistance. Lawyers for Human Rights drew up a Code of Conduct for people to follow; Project Vote produced posters that helped people to understand what was required of them and to encourage them to vote; the Legal Education Action Project and Community Arts Project, amongst many others, all assisted in educating and training voters. As a result of an extensive educational campaign led by civil society, political parties and the newly constituted Independent Electoral Commission, around 20 million people voted in the 1994 election - the first democratic, free and fair elections involving all citizens of the country.
In 1994 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was elected as the first president of a democratic Republic of South Africa.
These posters reflect the various educational campaigns implemented during the pre-election period.
Code Of Conduct (1994) by Lawyers for Human RightsRobben Island Museum
Code Of Conduct
Offset Litho poster – (1994)
Produced by Lawyers for Human Rights, setting out a code of conduct for voters to follow.
Vote For A Better Education (1994) by Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Esquire PressRobben Island Museum
Vote For A Better Education
Offset Litho poster – (1994)
Produced by Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Esquire Press, spelling out the need to vote for a democratic government that will ensure justice for all, peace in our country and a better educational system for all.
One Vote (1994) by Legal Education Action ProjectRobben Island Museum
One Vote
Silkscreen poster – (1994)
Produced by Legal Education Action Project (LEAP) at CAP. This poster appealed to the populace to get their identity documents. LEAP and CAP both encouraged and helped with the voter education.
Vota Ngoku (1994) by Producer unknownRobben Island Museum
Vota Ngoku
Offset Litho poster – (1994)
Producer unknown. Encouraging all South Africans to cast their vote for a democratically elected government.
Voting Station (1994) by Voter Education Programme of the Independent Electoral CommissionRobben Island Museum
Voting Station
Offset Litho poster – (1994)
Issued by the Voter Education Programme of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to show voters what to do on entering the polling station.
Original Exhibition done by:
Lionel Davis
Hamilton Budaza
Raphael Hector
Deirdré Prins-Solani
Kurt van Vrede
James Makola
Graham Falken
Re-designed by Mortimer Daniels and Kurt van Vrede.
