Tiiis form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koeverc moet alle navrae vergesel. No._ G.P.-S. 133291 — i 955-6—200,000-200. S. S i r RECEIVED H i r“ O N fV A N G <£ QM 157 GERM ISTON /l8 1330 o*it. < = HELLEN JOSEPH AND LILIAN y NQOZ I DR ILL HALL TW ISTSTR
TREAS0NTR I AL JHBURQ »
SOZ 0
PROTEST SUCCESS MET COMMISSIONER -
_« MARY MOODLEY ELIZABETH MASAMQANE +
157 + RE AMOHETSOE HANTLE = SUSAN KQABALE + This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergesel.______No.. O.P.-S. 133291 — IS5S -6—200,000-200. S. J Ui a. E RECEIVED ONTYANG <£
U_U. < Kj 179 KIMBERLEY 16 1130=
A y LILIAN UQ 0 Y I DRILL HALL J OH ANNE SB UR (3 =
z§ SO ■0 : J BASADI BA LE MAKQ0L0 A MABEDI KWA §0 M 0 KQ E THE SI =
MITTAH MADUME 889 WOMEN PROTESTED AQAINST PASSES = JANE MOTSHABI
This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet a!le navrae vergesel.______No~
CLP. -S. 133291— 1955-6—200,000-200. S. UJJ Q. £ a; lu RECEIVED *-r*-1r> ONTVANG < cc
u. < KJ177 KIMBERLEY 12 1140= HM12 .-7
LILIAN NQOYI DRILL HALL JOHANNESBURG? = lO
TWOHUNDRED WOMEN AT COMMISSIONERS OFFICE = MARY BYE+++ (= VERY SUCCESSFUL •
N JIBILIZA +
- Ttils form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. ______Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergesel.
G .P.-S.ISJ2 9 I— 1955-4— 200,000-200. S.
/ °- Z cl'w a Dd 0 fe8Ss LLS$E < , ZJ A 62 PORTELIZABETH 23 0950 = o* £ PE A |______| ---
HELEN JOSEPH DRILL HALL JHBURQ
'I ______'
._ 0 Z o
DEMONSTRATION SUCCESSFUL WOMEN WHO ATTENDED WERE BETWEEN
2500 EVERYTHINQ ORDERLY = SECRETARY FEDERATION OF SOUTH
AFRICAN WOMEN EASTERN CAPE +
------7----7 F I G 2 5,6 0 2 50 0 ------J.----- i------POST OFF1CI TELEGRAPHS.—POSKANTOORTKLEGRAATOlSt'f#. Thl« form and envelope should accompa&yarhy enquiry. Hlerdle vorm en boevert moet alle ravWevergesel.______No..
G.P.-S.I3329I— 1955-6— 200,000-200. * . j t r RECEIVED r'fc<* °N^ f D £ 7 tec ujyz w_ ZJA 61 PORTELIZABETH 13 0950 = o* PE A HELEJ< JOSEPH DRILL HALL JHBURQ o This fo rm and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae ver^esel. No......
G.P.-S. 133291 — 1955-6— 200.000-200. S. J a. E RECEIVED CNTVANG <0c
I-ZJB 49 NHZ28 N OR THE N D PE L I Z ABE TH 1 4 09 45 - *>". _ ^ 10 33 ______-______7
=HELEN JOSEPH SECRETARY DRILL
HALL JOHANNESBURG 1
“PROTEST HASBEEN SUCCESFUL=MRS L E §0Y0 This form »nd envelope should ajwerilpany any enquiry. Hierdle vorm en koevert mocrallVmvrae vergesel. No._
G.P.-S.1S329I— 19SS-6— 200,000-200. S. BJ Ql £ RECEIVED, . CNTVAftaj | 1 1 55
fe8K Z +ZJA113 NBQ100 NEWBR I QHTON 12 1050 = - PE A JOSEPH HELEN DRILL HALL JOHBURQ 1
io
PROCESSION WAS DONE YESTERDAY SUCCESSFULLY
------N0NTUTUZEL0 MABALA + + This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hlerdle vorm en koevert moct allc navrae vergesel.______N o_
O P - S .I3 3 2 » f— 1»55-4— 200.000-200. C.
RECEIVED zUJ ONTV/MSO fc M ‘ I / *' fpo IO O
Z J A 188 NHZ 85 NO RT HEN DP T EL I ZA B ETH 17: 1210 PE A r ...... I HELEN JOSEPH DRILL HAJ(LL JHBURQ = e. t I , -o tree: z O^| UlX«/> u
demonstration successful no incidents coloureds turned
UPJN Q00D NUMBER = V BISSETT + ThU form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hlerdle vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergesel. No
G.P.-5.133291— 1955-6— 200,000-200. S. f RECEIVED ONTVANG
Sm io Cl / ZJA 59 PORTELIZABETH 11 0950
gE A HELEN JOSEPH DRILL HALL I JHBURQ =
A VERY SUCCESFUL DEMONSTRATION = MRS KLAAS + This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergesel.
G .f .-5.133191— 1955-6— 200,000-200. S. UJ a.
RECEIVED ONTVANQ 11 VO fc0 VJ1 Ui l— — 4 1 0 a 7 ZJA 60 PORTELIZABETH 11 0950 4-3
n Ft- HELEN JOSEPH DRILL HALL JHBURQ = o 1______- ...... -...... ______1 1 a jj j SENT. OORGES
DEMONSTRATION A HUQH SUCCESS = JOHANNA MRELE
I UD MRELE POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS.—POSXANTOORTELEGRAATOtefM. Thlt form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergesel. No..
G.P.-S. 133291— 1955-6— 200,000-200. S. C/ t J K UDTT- z RECEIVED,, IA ONTVAf3& 10 <2 9 Ui L_ ° z S 3 ZJ A 55 PORTELIZABETH 30 0950 - o * o PE a I I'O ^ L NQOYI PRESIDENT FEDERATION
OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN DRILLI Zhioc 0 S o HALL JHBURQ -
SUt^ESFUL DEMONSTRATION NO INCIDENTS DEPUTATION OF FIRE
ACCEPTED BY COMMISSIONER = L DIEDERICKS VICE PRESIDENT
FEDERATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN CP + POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS.—POSKANTOORTELEGRAAFD! This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alle navrae vergeiel. w No..
G.P.-S. 133291— 1955-&—200,000-200. S.
RECEIVED 11 1050 ONTVANG V J1 ZJB 84 NHZ 56 NORTHENDPORTELIZABETH i>
HELEN JOSEPH DRILL HALL ;=» JOHANNESBURG = ___
. o 'vJl
V) O ---- BP—Br -c. o ------DEMONSTRATION SUCCESSFUL NO INCIDENTS = FLORENCE Q A XA MB A + This form and envelope should accompany any enquiry. Hierdie vorm en koevert moet alie navrae vergetel.______No-
G.P.-S.I3329I— l»5S-«— 200,000-200. S. uij o. ~t M I ' ; .Z REC&VEd)' ONTVANG fe8 j L_0 > z o S o ‘ DEMONSTRATION SUCCESSFUL NO INCIDENTS = S JONAS + This form and envelope should accompany^ any enquiry. ______Hierdle vorm en koevert moet alle navrftq vergeseL______ G.P.-S. 1332*1— 1955-6—200,000-200. S. r RECEIVED . 0.*£ ONTVANG £ " 1 2 DEMONSTRATION SUCCESSFUL NO INCIDENTS COLOUREDS TURNED UP IN QOOD NUMBER - V BISSETT ■»_ OUR PROTEST WAS SUCCESSFUL YOURS IN THE STRUGGLE ------— MARTHA MOTSEPE •»------ > JOG 87 + -r = WONDERFUL SUCCESS 9TH AUGUST YOUR OUR LIFETIME = ELIZABETH MAFEKINQ 34 BARBAROSASTREET HUQUENOT + fyfto e x . ? TELfORAPMS.—POSKANTOORTELEGRAAFDtBNS. Thl* form and envelop* should accompany any enquiry. Hierdls vorm en koevert moet alle navrae yergesel.______No.- C.P.-S.I3329I— I955-6—200.000-200L 8. Z. |u IS WINBURQ PROTEST TWO WOMEN ARRESTED DEFENCE WANTED =JANE MOTSHABI f 5 W i C Federation of South African Woman (Transvaal) ^ . , P.O. Box 10376, Johannesburg. 24th January, 1957. The Secretary, Food and Canning workers* Union, 63 Progress Buildings, Commissioner Street, Johannesburg. Dear Friend, At the meeting of the Transvaal Regional Executive Committee of the Federation of South African (1) To co-opt a representative of your Union to serve on the Regional Executive Committee. (2) To co-opt 2 African members to serve on the Working Committee appointed for the Anti Pass Pledge Campaign in terms of the resolutions adopted at the Conference on December 2nd, 1956. It will be necessary for the Anti Pass Working Committee to meet regularly once a week in Johannesburg and it is recommended therefore for your consideration that the two members appointed by your Union should be resident in Johannesburg in order to meet the difficulties of venue and trans port. This Working Committee will moreover, be the Central Working Committee for the Transvaal} aa the campaign develops regional 3ub committees will be appointed. For the information of your members I wish to summarise two important resolutions passed at our Conference: * (1) Anti. Pass Pledge Campaign To collect half a million pledges from women of all races in the Transvaal that they will oppose pass laws:- TO THE MINISTER OF NATIVE AFFAIRS 1...... hereby condemn the whole pass system which seeks to make slaves of the African people in the land of their birth, which will inflict unbearable humiliation and suffering upon African women in addition to the hardships and indignities which African men already suffer under the vicious pass laws. This insult to African women is an insult to all women and I declare that I shall oppose the pass system in all its forms, that I shall play my part in the struggle against the issuing of passes to African women and that I shall not stop until the pass laws and all forms of permits which restrict our freedom have been abolished. (2) To present these pledges to the Minister of Native Affairs. (Conference resolved that this should be by Blaster, but delays arising out of the widespread arrests may cause this date to be postponed.) (3) To set up sub committees to carry out this campaign. (4) To co-operate closely with any other anti-pass committees set up by other organisations. Anti Croup Areas Campaign (a) To collect hundreds of thousands of signatures of women of all races in the Transvaal to the following protest to be presented to Dr, Donges r 2. Within 6 months TO THE HHISTER OF TUB INTERIOR We, the undersigned, women of the Transvaal, women of all races do hereby record our protest against the Group Areas Act and all its implications, against the vicious and inhuman proclamations which will render homeless thousands of families, thousands of mothers and young children. We condemn this Act as a crime against humanity. As mothers and women, we demand the repeal of the Group Areas Act and the immediate withdrawal of the proclamation which will destroy the homes and the livelihood of the people of Vrededorp and Albertville, of Pageview, of Sophiatown and Martindale, (b) To set up sub committees to carry out the campaign and to work in co-operation with other committees set up by other organisations. The 'Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African Women is confident that these two campaigns will be carried out with vigour and determination, despite the attempts of the Government to disrupt and intimidate our organisation. These campaigns will be the answer of the women of the Transvaal to the Nationalist Government.# We look forward therefore to the full support and active participation of the women of the Food and Canning Workers’ Union. Yours fraternally HELEN JOSEPH ) Joint Regional BERTIIA MASHABA) Secretaries. % f V f W v Federation of South African Women (Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, JOHANNESBURG. 19th February, 1957. The Secretary, African National Congress Women's League (Transvaal), 37 West Street, JOHANNESBURG. 7. ^ Dear Friend, re: CAMPAIGNS BY WOMEN OF ALL RACES AGAINST PASSES AND GROUP AREAS The Transvaal Regional Executive Committee has appointed two working committees of women of all races for the conducting of these two campaigns in terms of resolutions taken at the Provincial Conference held on December 2nd, 1956. For your information I have summarised below the resolutions ^nri included the form of the pledge and the protest. (1) Anti Pass Pledge Campaign To collect half a million pledges from women of all races in the Transvaal that they will oppose pass lawss- TO THE MINISTER OF NATIVE AFFAIRS I...... hereby condemn the whole pass system which seeks to make slaves of the African people in the land of their birth, which will inflict unbearable humiliation and suffering upon African women in addition to the hardships and indignities which African men already suffer under the vicious pass laws. This insult to African women is an insult to all women and I declare that I shall oppose the pass system in all its forms, that I shall play my part in the struggle against the issuing of passes to African women and that I shall not stop until the pass laws and all forms of permits which restrict our freedom have been abolished. (2) To present these pledges to the Minister of Native Affairs. (Conference resolved that this should be by Easter, but delays arising out of the widespread arrests may cause this date to be postponed.) (3) To set up sub committees to carry out this campaign. (4) To co-operate closely with any other anti-pass committees set up by other organisations. Anti Group Areas Campaign (a) To collect hundreds of thousands of signatures of women of all races in the Transvaal to the following protest to be presented to Dr. Donges within 6 monthsj- T0 THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR We, the undersigned, women of the Transvaal, women of all races do hereby record our protest against the Group Areas Act and all its implications, against the vicious and inhuman proclamations which will render homeless thousands of families, thousands of mothers and young children. We con demn this Act as a crime against humanity. As mothers and women, we demand the repeal of the Group Areas Act and the immediate withdrawal of the proclamation which will destroy the homes and the livelihood of the people of Vrededorp and Albertville, of Pageview, of Sophiatown and Martindale. (b) To set up sub committees to carry out the campaign and to work in co operation with other committees set up by other organisations. The Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African Women is confident that these two campaigns will be carried out with vigour and deter mination, despite the attempts of the Government to disrupt and intimidate our organisation# These campaigns will be the answer of the women of the Transvaal to the Nationalist Government. It is important that all branches of the A.N.C. Women's League be drawn into active participation in this campaign. The Working Committees would like to establish contact with your branches and we suggest that letters outlining the campaigns and enclosing initial supplies of pledge and protest forms should be despatched immediately to the branches. We ask therefore if it would be permissible to send such letters to your Executive Committee for endorsement by your Secretary and then the Federation would be responsible for despatching the letters and enclosures to your branches. For this purpose it would be of assistance if we could be supplied with the names and addresses of the Secretaries of your various branches. Yours fraternally BERTHA MASHABA ) Joint Regional HELEN JOSEPH ) Secretaries c Federation of South African Women (Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, JOHANNESBURG 19th February, 1957. Committee, Dear Friend, re: CAMPAIGNS BI WOMEN OF ALL RACES AGAINST PASSES AiiD GROUP AREAS At the Transvaal Provincial Conference of the Federation of South African Women held on December 2nd, 1956, it was resolved to campaign against the pass laws and against the Group Areas Act, For your information I have summarised the resolutions and included the pledge and the protest. (1) Anti Pass Pledge Campaign To collect half a million pledges from women of all races in the Transvaal that they will oppose pass laws:- TO THE MINISTER OF NATIVE AFFAIRS I ...... hereby condemn the whole pass system which seeks to make slaves of the African people in the land of their birth, which will inflict unbearable humiliation and suffering upon African women in addition to the hardships and indignities which African men already suffer under the vicious pass laws. This insult to African women is an insult to all women and I declare that I shall oppose the pass system in all its forms, that I shall play ny part in the struggle against the issuing of passes to African women and that I shall not stop until the pass laws and all forms of permits which restrict our freedom have been abolished. (2) To present these pledges to the Minister of Native Affairs. (Conference resolved that this should be by Easter, but delays arising out of the widespread arrests may cause this date to be postponed.) (3) To set up sub committees to carry out this campaign. (4) To co-operate closely with any other anti-pass committees set up by other organisations. Anti Group Areas Campaign (a) To collect hundreds of thousands of signatures of women of all races in the Transvaal to the following protest to be presented to Dr. Donges within 6 monthss- TO THE MINISTER OF TEE INTERIOR We, the undersigned, women of the Transvaal, women of all races do hereby record our protest against the Group Areas Act and all its implications, against the vicious and inhuman proclamations which will render homeless thousands of families, thousands of mothers and young children. We con- demn this Act as a crime against humanity. As mothers and women, we dercand the repeal of the Group Areas Act and the immediate withdrawal of the proclamation which will destroy the homes and the livelihood of the people of Vrededorp and Albertville, of Pageview, of Sophiatown and Martindale. 2...... (b) To set up sub committees to carry out the campaign and to work in co operation with other committees set up by other organisations# The Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African iomen is confident that these two campaigns will be carried out with vigour and deter mination, despite the attempts of the Government to disrupt and intimidate our organisation. TJiese campaigns will be the answer of the women of the Transvaal to the Nationalist Government. The Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African Women hopes the Transvj^l_Consultative Committee will give the fullest support to these two important campaigns and assist us in extending them throughout the Transvaal. In all the campaigns of the women the enthusiastic support of the liberatory organisations has proved invaluable and we are confident that once again the Transvaal Consultative Committee will work wholeheartedly with the women of the Transvaal, Yours fraternally BERTHA MASHABA ) Joint Regional HELEN JOSEPH ) Secretaries. ftrh C C 0 I ' S * x U > 0 T 1C l i c ^ L c So u th A frican C ongress of D e m o c r a t s \ PHONE 33-0975. HEAD OFFICE: 8, SOMERSET HOUSE, (Second Floor) NO, FOX STREET, P.O. BOX 4088, '''y ^ JOHANNESBURG. r Dear Friend, Thank you for your letter informing us of the Provincial Conference of the Federation held on 2nd December, 1956, at which various decisions were made regarding the Group Areas and Pass Campaigns. After discussion, our Regional Committee feels that, to gain clarity and to co-ordinate cur activities, these mat-ters should be discussed at the next meeting of the Transvaal Consultative Committee, at which all the liberatory organisations are represented. Would you inform your representative accordingly ? To enable you to give notice if this discussion in time, we suggest that the matter come up for discussion on the 4th March meeting of the TCC. We have informed our representatives of this matter. Yours for Freedom, • ^ L jqlX l Acting Secretary. (Johannesburg Region) / JMeraitnn of 0ouiJj Afrtran Women P.O. Box 10876, JOHANNESBURG. ( TVL . ) - 2 - as in March of this year, when women were organised both for Workers' Conference on March 14th ?md lbth and for the demonstration to Dor gwanath on the 2?nd March. (3) Prsv f/eetings: A number of prayer meetings will be organised for the Sunday August 10th, at which women will pray for the relief of the suffering of the people of South Africa, with particular reference to the pass laws and the Group Areas Act. The response of women to this suggestion has been rnoBt enthusiastic. (4-) Open Air Mass Meeting of Non—African Women in Fordsburg: the federation is hoping to arrange a ma . s meeting orwomen ( Indian, Coloured and European ) in Fordsburg for the afternoon of Sund y, August 10th to commemorate the Pretoria Protest, and in protest against the ban on meetings, pass laws and the Group Areas Act. Should this meeting be possible, we have requested the assistance of the Transvaal Indian Youth League in providing volunteers to patrol the outskirts of the meeting in order to prevent Africans from joining the gathering and transgressing the ban on meeting. (5 Tea Parties: Women are ^lso asked to hold tea parties on the weekend of August 9th and 10th, commemoration of August 9th, at which women may pledge themselves anew tocarry on with the struggle for freedom, justice and security for our children. There is not a great deal of time before August 9th and the Federation earnestly appeals to the Transvaal Indian Congress to support the womens' campaign, so that we may once again proclaim the nuity and solidarity of the women of the Transvaal on this second anniversary of our greatest day. Yours in the strug-le, BEFTHA MASHABA LILY NAIDOO. JOINT SECRETABIES 'cS’fr-o i v y u * . , A ' T t ' C - r fl 3 1 ^ * /? £ 7. fey* ~'7)------ ^ M L / ow > , V / " " ' c o - c ^ J L ^ w - i r r —, t t S I t J " JKC- * > - & f ~ J ^cy^t£ /** ax> i j L . « ~ ^ 6 ^ r \ % £ . ) ' /-i '5 ■/V \ r/ '7 IT * 5 ^ 0 -3 i j'r ' m z z ._ 7Z y ^ £ ~ J ~ /Ro. / 3 * 4 — ; . a . - - ^ y/f-A Y 3 / rJ **<- * < * * £ <° G f t? i Uo. /*!»< <» / *>< /» ** ^ C & i4 r / ^ Y r» « - *-*_, Z - ✓ y ~ 5 ^ ^ ‘ir / f f i <.«sCf£ ** -y^yo^^, c £ l < * - v w yC+-^aC€nr4Lv^* /frL * u £ e ~ r ^ #/ ^ ^ / n . ' t * v , £ * ^ *-v- ( f < ' £■ £ ^ *' $ W / . A ^ 3 £/ //, ^ ^ f y f w tj/ie -^/ou/A 'J'f^r-ican ^o/ourec/ Q P e o / i / e i ' O y a n t i a f i c n Pho„e 33-9193 37 W K T STREET p Q , oj „ 0? JOHANNESBURG 6th March,1957. The Secretary, Federabion of South African Woraen(Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, JOIIMTTTESBU RG. ^ear Friend, *he above organisation wishes to acknowledge reciept of your circular dated 19th February and would also like to inform you that we have resolved to give the fullest support to the two campaignes mentioned. Wishing you every success in the campaign you have undertaken. Yours fraternally, 1 / C U J (Mrs) S. van Schalkwyk, ACTING SEC I :ARY. C T T Federation of South African ./omen (Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, Joliannesh” ^ The Secretary, African National Congress Women's League, (Transvaal) iP Dear Friend, The Working Committee of the Federation of South African women appointed for the campaign to obtain half a million pledges of opposition to the pass laws and for the campaign to obtain signatures to a protest against the Group Areas Act learns with dismay from your Acting Chairman that your Committee is apparently dissatisfied with the operation of these campaigns. In a sincere effort, therefore, to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding amongst the women of the Congress movement which might impair the magnificent unity which inspired the whole of South Africa at the time of the Pretoria protests, we wish to set out as clearly as possible the facts of the present situation and the events leading to it, and we are confident that once this has been done, all confusion will be cleared away. You will recall that immediately after the Pretoria Protest of August 9th, that unforgettable day in the history of South Africa, the National Conference of the Federation of S.A. Women was held. This Conference was attended by some five hundred delegates of whom the vast majority were A.N.C. women. Conference considered the next stage in the campaign against passes and resolved that the Federation should embark upon a campaign to obtain pledges from individual women of all races that they would oppose the pass laws and particularly the passes for African women. The task then devolved upon the National Executive to implement the Conference decision. During the same month, August, 1956, the first proclamation of the Group Areas Act was issued, with the threat to thousands of homes of Indian, African and Coloured women of Johannesburg and the inevitable conclusion that other areas would be similarly affected. The National Executive of the Federation (and again we would stress that the majority of the members of the N.E.C. are 'women of the A.N.C..V.L) decided to recommend to regions that they should embark upon a campaign against the Group Areas Act as well as against the Pass Laws, feeling that these two issues presented a challenge to the Federation once more to unite women in a great multi racial campaign. These two issues were accordingly accepted as the main items of the Transvaal / THE BLACK SASH DIE SWART SERP 11 The Valley Road, Wes.tcliff, Johannesburg. April l^th, 1958. The Joint Regional Secretaries, Federation of South African Women (Transvaal), P.O. Box 10876, JOHANNESBURG Dear Miss Joseph and Miss Mashaba, In reply to your letters of March 10th and 19th, and our subsequent telephone conversations, we did alert Our S. Tvl Region to ask members to attend this demonstration in their private capacity. We would be most inter ested to hear of any further developments in your protests against the issuing of passes to African women. n Yours Your sincerely, II ^Hon. Sec. - Central Executive. r’T'TJOTTT T ?./. ' "STT7 (TVL)** P.O. Base 10R7C, •T''~T~ ... ~f. 30th iipril, l r*S7, Deer Friend, 2 an so clad to hear the re >ort fraa :5rs, Ikrrtita ‘fesbabc. of her recant vialt to HeELspruit ard fc’-e oood rcoponae yhich 3!* raeefred froc the vaaon there* Tie preset cxtdon cf the Cemjrnrwnt in issuing passes to Afric an u > I still rer^uber tdth pleasure ay visit to Ndsproit last T™T tilth IF jsg. ^.ahaba a d r * Egbert Eeslia, even fciiough I mn not at&e to corpse Into the location ci;d noet all the vuata am I st^dd hrtv® llkod to do. X nr- & ’ve that the African ajnon of &si>ruit are "olnp to uork ve;"T havd to educate the vjbmc about the evils of the .esses, so that they will uaderstnad yny African youeu ore op osinc then; Riid thon I as2 sure thet the \rxioi; of TTelspruit w ill be eouragftott* and dete^.ii.e wisen the Govern:.* :t osnda i t o fficia ls to try to is & .e tiu> »> . . •. 3* Hie wmen of the Transvaal a'sxxxl the Prise ’iSalstar last, jv o r that t» are united in our opposition to passes for yooer, ai d thia Y& l i t ye intend to colioci l W* look forward to ottinc tho full aupport of thn y e s a m of Tlelspruit in this canpaign and to receiving al lecist a tbmaand sipnod ed-es IK-:; '-our arm * Yours in the struggle, lEiLS7 JOSEPH ia .i^ dLJfifiL--J* TTOmMSmM ORUMN m a i m s P.O. BOX 2948 37 WEST STREET PHONE 33-9193 JOHANNESBURG 3rd May,1957. The Secretary, Federation of S.A.Women, JOHANNESBURG. Dear friend, The 12th Annual Conference of the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress will take place at the Hin6an Hall, Johannesburg,on 2nd June,1957, commencing at 10 a.m. In view of the deteriorating political situation; thd "Treason Trials" f the threatened banning of the African National Congress, the Native Laws Amendment Bin, etc, etc. this conference will be of great importance,as ways and means will be discussed and formulated to strengthen the youth movement in its struggle to check the onslaughts of the Nationalists.* It has become imperative for the mobilisation of all anti-nationalist forces into a powerful United ?ront. We invite your organisation to send a fraternal'message to our Conference, which will be greatly appreciated. With peace greetings, Yours fr M.M00SAJEE. Joint-Honorary Secretaries. Federation of South African Women (Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, Johannesburg. 14th May, 1957. The Secretary, Transvaal Indian Youth Congress, P.O. Box 2948, Johannesburg. Dear Friend, In reply to your letter of 3rd May 1957, I have pleasure in enclosing a fraternal message from the Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African Women for your con ference on 2nd June. The .forking Committee of the Federation has also instructed me to inform your '.'Executive that the Federation will be holding a women's conference on Sunday, June 23rd. Although this conference is being convened so that the women of the Transvaal may receive reports on the women's campaigns against passes and the Croup Areas Act and may decide in wiiat manner they will present the pledges and protests to Verwoerd and ^onges, the conference will also be in the nature of a protest against the Native Laws Amendment Act which so gravely affects the Federation of South African rfomen. Once again we appeal to the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress to assist our “'orking Co ittee in organising the refreshments which will be required for the conference, both in obtaining and collecting donations of food and minerals and in the serving of refreshments. Not only has the willing and generous assistance of your members in the past encouraged us to make tliia appeal, but we make it especially now, as it may well be that we may not again be able to organise such a conference of women of all races, in view of the provisions of the native Laws Amendment Act. Yours for freedom, Bertha i-iashaba Helen Joseph Joint Secretaries. Federation of South African Women (Transvaal) P.O. Box 10876, Johannesburg. 14th May, 1957. The Transvaal Region of the Federation of South African Women sends fraternal greetings to the 12th Annual Conference of the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress, and we welcome this opportunity of saluting the Indian youth and the great part that they have played and are playing in the national struggle for liberation. At this stage of our struggle, when the Nationalist Government con tinually devises new threats to our organisations, passes law after law of further oppression of the non-white people, when 156 of our leaders face a trial for high treason, we must look more than ever to the youth of our movement, for from their ranks must come the leaders of the future. The Transvaal Indian Youth Congress has not only displayed courage and iniative in campaigns, but has accepted as political tasks assistance to the other congresses in the technical sphere and in the many other spheres which carry no glory but which are essential to the effective functioning of the congress movement. The Federation of South African Women is particularly grateful for the unfailing assistance and loyalty which we have received from the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress, and we look forward with confidence to your continued assistance in the present campaigns of the women against the pass laws and the Group Areas Act. But even more than this, we look forward to the young women who will come forward from the ranks of the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress to play their part in the women's movement and in the national liberation movement. We wish you all success in your Conference from which we know will come a further great contribution to the struggle of the people for freedom. Bertha Mashaba ) ) Joint Hon. Secretaries. Helen Joseph ) < Conference of the Federation held on December 2nd, 1956, to which, as a result of intensive campaigning by the members of the Federation Regional Executive, it was possible to draw no less than 78 Indian women and 25 Coloured women in addition to the African women# This truly representative gathering of women was a great achievement und the Regional Executive Committee elected at that Conference accepted with enthusiasm the Stupendous task of implementing the Conference resolution that half a million pledges from women of all races against passes be obtained and a hundred thousand signatures of women of all races to a protest against the Group Areas Act. ■The treason arrests took place on the third day after the Conference and it is clear from the personnel of the Transvaal women who were arrested, that a direct attack was being made upon the Federation. ..ithin one month of the arrests, however, the Regional Executive Committee of the Federation had met, and despite the severe restrictions upon the activities of officials, had set up a working Committee for the Campaigns. Once again we must emphasise that 3 members of your provincial executive are members of the Transvaal Regional Executive of the Federation. Two .forking Committees were appointed at that meeting, one for the pledge campaign and one for the Group Areas Campaign, and the following distribution of personnel was accepted. Pass Pledge Campaign Group Areas Campaign 4 African women 4 Indian women 1 Indian woman 1 African woman 1 Coloured woman 1 Coloured woman 1 European woman 1 Eruopean woman Chairman and Joint Secretaries ex officio For the Pass Pledge Committee, it was suggested that the African women should consist of 2 A.N.C. women, one being Ruth Matsoane, the Vice Chairman of the Federation and a member of your Executive Committee, and the other, Kate Nxaka, also a member of your executive, (but who has failed to attend any meetings of the Working Committee) and two African women from the Food and Canning Workers Union. The African woman on the Group Areas Committee is Kanzine Masilane, the Chairman of the Central Branch of the A.N.C.W.L. Great difficulty was experienced in convening these two committees nnri despite urgent requests to the A.N.C.W.L. through the Vice Chairman of the Federation, it has not yet apparently been possible to secure the services of any other A.N.C. 3/..... Collection Number: AD1137 FEDERATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN 1954-1963 PUBLISHER: Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive Location:- Johannesburg ©2013 LEGAL NOTICES: Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. 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