31 March 2012

Transition’s Child: a report and exhibition of the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF)

This project is in line with SAHA's commitment to capture and document neglected histories as well as to create and support awareness of contemporary struggles for justice in South Africa.

The APF was formed in direct response to the political and socio-economic conditions in which many poor communities have found themselves in the post-1994 era.  The APF brought together community organizations, workers' groups, activists groups and individuals to oppose privatisation. This social movement also fought for the free, fair and decent provision of essential services to the disadvantaged people of South Africa.  

The oral history and document project was undertaken by Dale McKinley on behalf of SAHA.  

The APF collection (AL3290) consists of paper-based and digital documents, posters, ephemera (banner, t-shirts, stickers) audio-visual and oral history materials. The documents, ephemera and audio-visual materials were collected by Dale McKinley over a two year period through the APF's own office; through individual leaders, activists, members both at the APF and community affiliate levels, and through his own substantial personal archive accumulated over a period of ten years as a co-founding member, activist and elected leader of the APF.

The oral history collection consists of oral histories (audio and transcripts) from selected APF and associated community affiliate leaders, activists and members. Dale McKinley and Ahmed Veriava conducted these interviews for the APF oral history project on behalf of the South African History Archive (SAHA) in 2010.

The Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) was formed in July 2000 around two important struggles: the struggle against iGoli 2002 in Johannesburg, and the struggle against Wits 2001 at Wits University. Both of these attacks on the working class were a direct result of the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy of the African National Congress (ANC) government.

One of the main goals of the APF was to coordinate working class struggles against privatisation. With a strong belief in mass action to achieve their goals, the APF's involvement in the meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations as part of their many campaigns led to the development of the movement over a period of ten years.

The APF collection documents the growth and decline of the APF's ten year existence and bears testament to the organisation's steadfast commitment in the struggles against privatisation through their campaigns.

View the APF collection

Visit the virtual exhibition

Read about the launch