Southern African Collections : The 'Guardian' newspaper

Southern African Collections

<p style='text-align: justify;'>This file contains material related to the banning of the 'Guardian' newspaper in 1952 under the Suppression of Communism Act: Cuttings from the newspapers the 'Cape Times', 'Natal Mercury', 'Rand Daily Mail', 'The Star' and a press statement by the 'Guardian'; three letters to Hepple concerning his opposition to the government's banning of the 'Guardian'; one from its editor B.P. Bunting and two from the Freedom of the Press Committee. Hepple spoke at a conference the committee organised on 23 Jan. 1952;'Hands off the Guardian! Defend freedom of the press' (Cape Town, 1951);'Press freedom is the lifeblood of democracy: historic conference condemns threat to Guardian' (Cape Town, 1952?).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>This file forms part of a series of files, being material collected by Alexander Hepple while researching the history of the trade union movement, workers' organisations and industrial relations in South Africa. For material relating to Trade union unity see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00002-00001'>RCMS 199/2/2/1</a>, for articles and pamphlets on this subject see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00002-00003'>RCMS 199/2/2/3</a> and for excerpts and research notes see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00002-00004'>RCMS 199/2/2/4</a>.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Alexander Hepple (1904-1983) was born in Johannesburg on 28 August 1904. He was the leader of the South African Labour Party, 1953-1958, and founder and chairman of the Treasons Trials Defence Fund, 1956-1961, and of the South African Defence and Aid Fund, 1960-1964. With his wife Girlie he established the International Defence and Aid Fund's Information Service in London in 1967, which they managed together until their retirement at the end of 1972. Hepple was the author of 'Verwoerd' (Pelican, 1967) and 'South Africa: a political and economic history' (Pall Mall, 1966), as well as numerous pamphlets and articles on political and trade union affairs in South Africa. He died in Canterbury, England, on 16 November 1983.</p>