2009 marked 100 years since Yusuf Dadoo was born in Krugersdorp, West Rand on 5 September. Today, he like many activists of the South African socialist movement and other stalwarts of the liberation struggle, such as Bunting, Kotane and Roux, have fast been forgotten or their roles overlooked. Yusuf Dadoo left a formidable political legacy, covering a number of fields spanning the relationship between transnational identity, racial identity, national liberation, socialism, non-racialism and internationalism. In celebration of 100th anniversary of the birth of Yusuf Dadoo in 2009, SAHO is, as part of its rewriting of the history of the liberation movement, updating its material on Yusuf Dadoo. SAHO is committed to critically engaging with Dadoo and his contemporaries’ legacy, by interrogating impulses of the time that might have been written out of history. We are analyzing the solutions that Dadoo and his generation sought in building non racialism and socialism to critically engage with these issues and find new solutions that meet the needs of the 21st century. Today we are challenged by the imperatives of globalization and the power of the nation-state, by neo-liberalism and the struggle for socialism, non-racialism and xenophobia. The labels might be different and the political conjuncture significantly changed but the challenges that animated Dadoo and his generation are similar. Dadoo and the liberation movements were concerned with the creation of a progressive global movement that would advance the interests of the oppressed and marginalized in the era of globalization. It is especially opportune then on this the 100th anniversary of Dadoo’s birth to critically engage with the issues of this liberation struggle legacy. SAHO hopes that this conference, lecture and archive will in turn inspire new research and interpretations of the liberation struggle.

The Dadoo Public Lecture and conference

The Dadoo Public lecture and conference that SAHO recently organised with the University of Johannesburg’s centre for sociological studies has been a resounding success. Both events were open to the public, and were well attended. The conference generated a great deal of interest amongst academics, students and political organisations especially amongst trade unions and youth leagues.

The theme of the conference and lecture ‘Dadoo and Non Racialism’ came at an apt time in the mist of the worrying emergence of racism amongst factions in the ANC. This topic generated a great deal of interest at the conference. The events were covered by radio, the press and TV; in particular a radio show special was presented in SAFM on Non Racialism between 8pm - 9pm on 7 September 2009.

The conference was opened by Blade Nzamande (SACP Secretary General) who highlighted Dadoo’s contribution to the struggle for Freedom and to our history and also addressed the SACP’s criticism of racial chauvinism.

The conference panel was made up of Judge Albie Sachs, Ahmed Kathrada, Ari Sitas and Moeletsi Mbeki. The event was attended by approximately 200 people.

The photographs, speeches and conference papers are available, please click here.

References

• SLOVO-The Unfinished Autobiography – Introduction by Helena Dolny, 1995, Ravan Press, South Africa
• Ismail Meer – A Fortunate Man Introduction –Fatima Meer – 2002, Zebra Press, Cape Town, South Africa
• Walter & Albertina Sisulu – In Our Lifetime – Elinor Sisulu, David Philips Publishers, 2002, Cape Town, South Africa
• Portrait of a People – A Personal photographic record of the South African liberation struggle – Eli Weinberg, IDAF – London 1981
• Nothing but the Truth- Behind the AN’s Struggle Politics – Ben Turok, Jonathn Ball Publishers (PTY) Ltd, Jeppestown, South Africa, 2003
• Moses Kotane, South African Revolutionary, A Political Biography, Brian Bunting,  Mayibuye Books, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, 1998
• Ahmed Kathrada, Memoirs, Ahmed Kathrada, Zebra Press, Cape Town, South Africa, 2004
• All my life and all my strength, Ray Alexander, (Edited by Raymond Suttner), STE Publishers, Park Town, South Africa, 2004
• The Guardian, The History of South Africa’s Extraordinary Anti-Apartheid Newspaper - James Zug, Unisa Press, Pretoria, South Africa, 2007
• Oliver Tambo, Beyond the Engeli Mountains, Luli Callinicos, David Philip Publisher, Claremont, South Africa, 2004
• Memory Against Forgetting Memoirs from a life in South African politics, 1938 - 1964, Rusty Bernstein, Penguin Books, Sandton, South Africa, 1999
• Long Walk to Freedom, The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, MacDonald Purnell, Randburg, South Africa, 1994
• Mandela, The Authorised Biography, Anthony Sampson, Jonathan Ball Publishers (Pty) Ltd, Jeppestown, South Africa, 1999
• Satyagraha in South Africa, MK Gandhi, Navajivan Publsihing House, Ahmedabad, India, 1928
• Crusade against Racism, PS Joshi, Bipin P Joshi & Mahendra P Joshi (editors), Published by Mahendra P Joshi, Pretoria, South Africa, 2000
• Passive Resistance 1946 – A Selection of Documents, compiled by ES Reddy & FatimaMeer, Institute for Black Research/ Madiba Publishers, Durban, 1996
• Class & Colour in south Africa – 1850 – 1950, Jack & Ray Simons, IDAF, London, 1983
• Timol – A Quest for Justice, Imtiaz Cajee, STE Publishers, Johannesburg, 2005
• Gandhi’s Legacy – The Natal Indian Congress – 1894 – 1994, Surendra Bhana, University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, 1997
• Slovo – The Unfinished Autobiography, Introduction by Helena Dolny,  Ravan Press, Randburg, South Africa, 1995
• Bram Fischer – Afrikaner, Stephen Clingman, David Philips Publishers, Claremont, South Africa, 1998
• ANC – A view from Moscow - Vladimir Shubin, Jacana Media, Auckland Park, South Africa, 2008, David Philips

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