Award for the ANC’s London Recruits

On 14 July, the South African Communist Party honoured the “London Recruits” with its Special Recognition Award. These are white, mainly British people who went into apartheid South Africa from 1967 onwards on behalf of the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party to assist the liberation struggle. The other Recruits chose Ken Keable, who is the CPB’s District Secretary for SW England & Cornwall, to go to South Africa to receive the award on behalf of them all. Besides going undercover to apartheid South Africa in 1968 and 1970, Ken edited the book London Recruits – the secret war against apartheid, which told the amazing story for the first time when it was published in 2012. The book is now being made into a documentary film that should be premiered in London in January and many trade unions have contributed to the cost of making it. You can see a video of Ken’s acceptance speech, or read it, on www.londonrecruits.org.uk. Ken says, “The ideals that motivated us in our youth are now more relevant than ever. We hope that our story will inspire people, especially young people, to fight for a better world and this wonderful award, this great honour, will help to achieve that.”

This award reminds us of the importance of international solidarity with Communist Parties, especially where they are being suppressed or outlawed, especially the Ukrainian Communist Party.