SA to Britain: reverse boycott!
28 June 2004
Forty-five years ago, a small group of South African exiles and their British supporters called for a boycott of imported fruit, cigarettes and other goods from racially segregated South Africa, marking the beginning of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
Now, a decade after South Africa achieved democracy, the "Reverse Boycott Campaign" urges Britons to help the country once more - this time, by buying South Africa products to help boost the post-apartheid economy and create jobs in a country still suffering from high unemployment.
Former secretary of state for health Frank Dobson, one of those backing the Reverse Boycott, told The Independent: "What the Anti-Apartheid Movement managed to achieve was stupendous. Getting rid of apartheid was a relatively simple, straightforward target, but running a country is a much more complex thing, and South Africa needs just as much help now as it did then.
"If you supported the boycott and didn't buy
products from South Africa, you once helped to promote democracy by self-denial", Dobson said. "Now you can help it by self-indulgence."
According to campaign organisers Network South Africa 2004, one new job will be created in South Africa for every £4 000 spent on South African produce in Britain (or, in the case of South African wine, for every 1 100 bottles bought in the UK!) - or for every eight British tourists visiting South Africa.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is one of the patrons of Network South Africa, which brings together politicians from all parties, trade unions, charities, businesses, schools and the academic community, as well as individuals from all walks of life to co-ordinate and publicise events and activities in the UK celebrating 10 years of freedom in SA.
It also aims to promote further
co-operation between Britain and South Africa in the future.
The original anti-apartheid boycott was launched in London on 26 June 1959, a year after the African National Congress urged black South Africans to shun bus companies, products from farms which used forced labour, and goods manufactured by firms which supported the ruling National Party.
The British boycott got off to a slow start, but by 1960 the TUC, Labour and Liberal parties were supporting the campaign and 22 local authorities had banned South African fruit from their schools and work canteens.
The boycott campaign turned into the Anti-Apartheid Movement, which spent many years calling for sanctions against the South African government and putting pressure on big businesses not to deal with the country.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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