The Secret War Against Apartheid

Ken Keable, editor of London Recruits – the secret war against apartheid will be talking about that book and his own role in the story, and Pete Smith, who worked secretly for the ANC over many years, will be talking about ANC and South Afirican Communist Party member and scientist Dr Ron Press, who lived much of his life in Bristol . Many Bristol political activists will remember Ron Press for his publicly known work but few will know of the secret work that he did as an exiled South African scientist. Pete Smith came to Bristol to receive training from Ron Press in the use of some of the amazing devices that Ron invented for ANC work and met Ron in Africa whilst on clandestine work there for the ANC. In 1970, Ken and Pete set off leaflet bombs and street broadcast devices partly invented and designed by Ron Press. The leaflet bombs (harmless to people) were tested in Bristol and in the Somerset countryside. They were often set off in five South African cities simultaneously, planted by white, non-South African people mainly recruited in Britain .

See www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-record-office/whats-on/secret-war-apartheid/

For more background information see www.londonrecruits.org.uk

This meeting  is on Thursday 10th September and starts at 5.30pm in the Bristol Records Office and will finish by 6.50pm. Admission free. It is organised by Dr Robert Skinner, History Dept, Bristol University in conjunction with Bristol Records Office.