The Campaign Against British Bank Involvement in Apartheid South Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID6028043
AuthorsNerys John (University of Cape Town, corresponding author)
Year2000
Volume99
Issue396
Pages415-433
Publication date2000-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAfrican Affairs (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-9909 • E-ISSN: 1468-2621
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/afraf/99.396.415
OpenAlexW1982865801
LanguageEN
Citations received9

The British ‘banks campaign’ was part of the international pressure to implement financial sanctions against apartheid South Africa. South Africa was vulnerable to a ‘banks campaign’ because of its dependence on foreign investment and, from the 1970s, on loan capital in particular. Britain was the most important source of foreign capital to South Africa, and was home to the parent companies of South Africa's two largest banks. The campaign urged complete disengagement of British banks from South Africa: withdrawal by those banks with direct operations and a moratorium on lending. Both these goals were eventually achieved. Despite the wealth of scholarship in ‘apartheid history’ surprisingly no comprehensive study has been made of the British anti-apartheid movement (although it was one of the most influential national movements), let alone of this specific campaign. This article relies heavily on primary documentation, (pamphlets, reports and newspapers) and personal interviews with the individuals involved, to establish the chronology of the British ‘banks campaign’ for the first time.

Geography · Political science · African studies and sociopolitical issues · South African History and Culture

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