I came across this old bumper sticker while digging out the photos for ‘Grandpa’s Story’. Does anyone else remember this campaign?
It was a 1985 initiative of South African business and professional people, imploring the rest of the world to understand that many in the commercial sector did not agree with government policy, and asking that sanctions be eased for the good guys.
I recall feeling very grown up and daring when I stuck it on my sad old 1976 Ford Escort, driving to my First Job in Cape Town. Maybe I was more politically aware then than I realised.
Was this just a Cape Town thing, or was it a national campaign? Google only returns 6 results, which link mainly to archives in universities.
And what are these guys doing now? Do they feel they accomplished something? Are they still fighting, or are they dandling grandchildren on their knees in the retirement village, saying, “Ah yes, those were the days. I was part of the struggle, you know…”?
i remember this campaign dusty. along with the anti-conscription campaign, and the black sash, such was proof that some so called honkies were cool-ouens (no insult intended from this ‘bruin-o’).
Sheesh. I don’t remember this campaign, but Frank’s comment made me remember all those boys who were broken by a kak war they didn’t understand.
Dolce, you were like…ummm… ten years old in 1985. The only stickers you would have been interested in were probably ‘My Little Pony’ and ‘Hello Kitty’.
And yes, those poor boys. Some of them are still broken. Still fighting.
Bristol Saffa ‘het my herinner aan’ ‘Forces Favourites’. Do you remember that programme on Springbok Radio?
Interesting indeed.
Benzo! Long time no see. Where’ve you been? We thought your room mate had lynched you.
Bristol shhh there is an age and angst restriction here plus M&G is owned by communists. And I don’t know when you left SA but the name was changed to Protea Radio. In actual fact (love saying that) Protea biltong is said to be amongst the best Jerkie money can buy.
In 1985 the country was in flames. The people who wanted to “speak” (and avoid sanctions) were those who didn’t vote for the NP but didn’t do anything to oppose apartheid either – apart from sticking wussy bumper stickers on their cars. I’ll bet most of them are in Canada / Australia / New Zealand now, or behind the electric fences of their mansions in Constantia voting for the DA and wishing the Rand would recover sufficiently to make the move to Canada / Australia / New Zealand possible.
Rod, interesting point. And the sad thing is, you’re probably right.
No, not in Canada/Australia or New Zealand – or in Constantia either! My ex-husband, one of the founders of Let South Africa Speak lives in Zeekoevlei. The campaign lasted, if I remember correctly from about August 1985 to 1988 with regular newsletters etc. Other early founders still live and work in Cape Town – one that I can think of lives in Noordhoek and another in Claremont.
The campaign was national and international with newletters and the Manifesto being sent overseas to friends and family but also to influential people such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, etc.
I have, this week, approached the South African History Online organization, as a result of reading an article about them in the Southern Suburbs Tatler, asking them to follow up.