The Role of the South African Communist Party in the Anti-Apartheid Struggle

Welcome to Mr. Hutchings History! In this episode, we explore the vital yet often overlooked role of the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the fight against apartheid. From its early advocacy for Black majority rule in the 1920s to its strategic alliance with the ANC and leadership in the armed struggle through Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the SACP provided ideological, organizational, and international support that shaped the anti-apartheid movement. We examine the SACP’s grassroots activism, its influence on the Freedom Charter, its role in mobilizing labor unions, and its collaboration with global allies like the Soviet Union. Learn how figures such as Joe Slovo and Ruth First helped guide the movement through decades of repression, and how the SACP’s legacy continues to inform South Africa’s ongoing fight for justice and equality. #AntiApartheid #SouthAfricanCommunistParty #SACP #ANC #UmkhontoWeSizwe #FreedomCharter #JoeSlovo #IBHistory #ApartheidResistance #HistoryPodcast Works Cited Beinart, William. Twentieth-Century South Africa. Oxford UP, 2001. Dubow, Saul. Apartheid, 1948-1994. Oxford UP, 2014. Lodge, Tom. Red Road to Freedom: A History of the South African Communist Party 1921–2021. Boydell & Brewer, 2021. O'Malley, Padraig. "The ANC and the SACP." Nelson Mandela Foundation, www.nelsonmandela.org. Worden, Nigel. The Making of Modern South Africa. Blackwell, 2007.