Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU)

Updated: 4 Mar 2022

On 4 -5 March 1955 the Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) was held at the Trades Hall in Johannesburg. SACTU was until the banning of political organisations in 1961 the leading non-racial trade union co-ordinating body and the trade union wing of the ANC led Congress Alliance. After Sharpeville most of the office bearers of SACTU went into exile, were banned, banished, imprisoned for ANC and MK activities. SACTU office bearers in exile re-established the organisation and used it to mobilising international solidarity action against the Apartheid regime.

How we know this

01ANC,"This week in history:4 - 5 March 1955:",From: ANC,[Online],Available at: www.anc.org.za,[Accessed on:05 February 2014]

Last updated · 4 Mar 2022

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU). South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011816

South African History Online (2011) 'Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU)', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011816 (Accessed: 11 November 2026).

South African History Online, Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011816, (accessed 11 November 2026).

"Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU)." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011816. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

South African History Online. "Inaugural Conference of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU)." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011816.