Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944

Photocopy of papers of Leon Szur relating to the Workers' Party of South Africa, 1936-1944: comprising handwritten statement of aims and appeal for support [c1944]; photocopy of Afrikaans translation of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marks and Friedrick Engels, with introduction by Leon Trotsky, [?1936]; statement by the Workers' Party of South Africa on the 19th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, [1936].

The first organised Trotskyist organisation on the Witwatersrand was an ephemeral Communist League of Africa, founded in 1932 by Thibedi, followed by a succession of small Trotskyist groups in Johannesburg. In the Western Cape, which was to become the historical stronghold of South African Trotskyism, the first organisation was the Lenin Club, which was formed in 1933. It split soon after, with its majority faction joining with Johannesburg-based groups to form the Workers' Party of South Africa in 1935, and the remainder forming the Communist League of South Africa. The South African Trotskyists were, from the start, characterised by centrifugal tendencies, and were also disunited in their response to the two-stage theory of the Communist Party of South Africa.

Single file, 3 items.

Open although advance notice should be given. Access to individual items may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act.

The source of acquisition by ICS is not known.

None

Compiled by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

A photocopying service is available, at the discretion of the Library staff. Copies are supplied solely for research or private study. Requests to publish, or to quote from original material should be submitted to the Information Resources Manager.

The ICS holds a large number of collections relating to South African politics, including African National Congress (ICS 1), Mary Benson (ICS 6), Ruth First (ICS 117), Marion Friedmann (ICS 20), Ruth Hayman (ICS 30), Baruch Hirson (ICS 32), Mandela Trials papers (ICS 52), Josie Palmer (ICS 57), Edward Roux (ICS 67), South African Institute of Race Relations (ICS 95), University of Cape Town (ICS 81-82), University of Transkei (ICS 19).