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.