The UDF Virtual Exhibition

In August 2008, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the South African History Archive (SAHA) joined forces to develop a virtual exhibition to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the United Democratic Front (UDF), using posters and photographs from the archives to explore the vital role the UDF played in bringing democracy to South Africa.

The UDF was launched on 20 August 1983 during the height of apartheid, uniting hundreds of organisations and thousands of people. This ushered in a period of grassroots campaigns for a better life for all South Africans, and severe repression by the apartheid state with detentions, trials, bannings and killings. By showcasing posters and photographs from the UDF era, primarily drawn from archival collections housed at SAHA, this exhibition serves as a graphic reminder of our recent past, and an inspiration that change is possible even under the most difficult conditions.

In March 2010, SAHA took over the hosting of this website so as to facilitate the ongoing expansion of this virtual exhibition, identifying and incorporating more archival artefacts from SAHA and other archives to offer a more complete telling of this period in South African history. Reflecting SAHA's origins as an organisation established by UDF affiliates, a broad range of UDF-related materials from a number of collections at SAHA are being added to the exhibition:

• AL2418 - The Progressive Teachers' League Collection

• AL2421 - The Natal Indian Congress (NIC) Collection

• AL2424 - The Johannesburg Democratic Action Committee (JODAC) Collection

• AL2431 - The United Democratic Front (UDF) Collection

• AL2540 - The SAHA Ephemera Collection

• AL2547 - The SAHA Original Photograph Collection

• AL2457 - The Original SAHA Collection

• AL2460 - The Julie Frederikse Collection

• AL2563 - The Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) Collection

• AL2564 - The Five Freedoms Forum (FFF) Collection

• AL2566 - The PLANACT Collection

• AL2607 - The Congress of South African Students - Mamelodi Branch

• AL2693 - The South African Labour Bulletin Collection

• AL2878 - The Freedom of Information Programme - The FOIP Collection

• AL2934 - The Dawie Bosch Collection

• AL2956 - The Emilia Potenza Collection

• AL2957 - The Ismael Vadi Collection

• AL3013 - The Barbara Hogan Collection

• AL3051 - The Hilda and Rusty Bernstein Collection

• AL3060 - The State vs. P.W. Botha and Appeal Collection

• AL3065 - The Brian Currin Collection

• AL3080 - The Noel Stott Collection

• AL3109 - The UDF Working Group on International Relations Collection

• AL3116 - The Janet Cherry Collection

• AL3117 - The Laura Pollecutt Collection

• AL3121 - The Julian Knight and Rudolph Jansen Collection

• AL3129 - The Zapiro TRC Cartoon Collection

• AL3182 - The National Medical and Dental Association Collection

This exhibition is far from comprehensive. In fact, there are generally notable gaps in documentation relating to the UDF's history, particularly from Natal and the Northern Transvaal. These gaps highlight the severe repression, the uncertainty, the escalation of violence that marked this period in South African history and restricted the process of record creation and preservation within the UDF.

Visitors to the virtual exhibition can access posters, photographs, documents and other archival materials either used in, or reflecting on, the campaigns of the UDF and read more about their purpose and context. They can also leave comments on artefacts showcased in the virtual exhibition. SAHA would like the public to get involved by contributing stories of their experiences of the UDF or suggesting any other materials of interest to expand the exhibition in the future.

Digital Innovation South Africa (DISA) have already contributed valuable materials to this growing project and we invite contributions from other organisations and archives that would complement this exhibition.

If you would like to contribute to this exhibition or would like any further information about our virtual exhibitions, please contact SAHA