Communist Party
Calls Mass Demonstration to Commemorate",
South African Worker, 27 February 1937
The traditions of the labour movement in South Africa young as
it is are traditions that we can be proud of and that we shouid
not allow to slip into a dim memory of the past, but to commemorate
in a fitting manner from time to time. In particular does this
apply to the Great Strike of 1922 on the Rand, commonly known as
the Rand Revolt, when the workers of the Rand supported the miners
against the Chamber of Mines and the Government for which they
were brutally shot down by the aeroplanes, machine guns, artillery
and rifle fire of the Government troops instructed by that arch-enemy
of the workers, General Smuts.
Many names come to our
mind when we recall this epic event in South African working
class history. Hull, Lewis and Long who went
to the gallows singing the "Red Flag", hurling defiance
at the executioners and striking fear into the hearts of the capitalist
class; Pisher and Spendiff, gallant defenders of Fordsburg. The
Hanekom brothers, Smith and Dowse, the former mere boys, shot down
without even a trial at the Rosettenville Kopjes, and the hundreds
of working class martyrs that gave up their lives in the struggle
for freedom from exploitation. We must not let these names fade
into oblivion; we must keep them alive, not only with annual commemorations,
but must follow the militant spirit of struggle that pervaded the
actions ofthe gallant Rand miners and workers of 1913, 1914 and
1922.
This in itself is not enough. We must leam from the defeats that
our comrades suffered and reason out why they suffered these defeats.
With the militant spirit ofour heroic martyrs, and by correcting
their mistakes, we will march forward to victory, that will be
ours, however much the capitalist class may rave and shout and
murder and kill.
UNITED DEMONSTRATION
The Communist Party of South Africa calls for a MASS DEMONSTRATION
ON SUNDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, at 8p.m. on the City Hall Steps, Johannesburg,
to commemorate the 15th ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT RAND STRIKE OF
1922.
Every miner, every worker, every lover of freedom and liberty must
be present at this demonstration. The Communist Party has written
to the S.A. Trades & Labour Council, the S.A. Labour Party,
the People's Front, the S.A. Mine Workers Union to make this demonstration
a United JOINT DEMONSTRATION and show the solidarity of the working
class in South Africa.
We are sure it is in this spirit that our brave comrades, had they
been alive, would have liked us to commemorate the struggle of
the Rand workers.
KEEP THE DATE OPEN
Sunday Evening, at 8 o'clock, March 14, City Hall Steps, Johannesburg.