Southern African Collections : Correspondence

Southern African Collections

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Correspondence with inserts between Hepple and the Cape Furniture Workers' Union, the Textile Workers' Industrial Union, the Garment Workers' Industrial Union (Natal), the South African Boilermakers,' Iron & Steel Workers' and Shipbuilders' Society, the Amalgamated Engineering Union, 'Forum', and the South African Labour Party regarding race and economic policy (40 sheets).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>This file forms part of a series of files, being material collected by Alexander Hepple while researching what was known as the 'colour bar' in South Africa, that is the legislation and practices in industry which cumulatively excluded African workers from certain industries or categories of jobs. For articles by Hepple on the subject see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00005-00001'>RCMS 199/2/5/1</a> and for excerpts and research notes on the subject, see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00005-00002'>RCMS 199/2/5/2</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>