The South African Springbok rugby tour in the United Kingdom (UK) was disrupted by an anti-Apartheid demonstration. The team was made up entirely of Afrikaners. Once the tour was announced, the strongest opposition came from the political Left. The front-page article of the New Statesman read “Apartheid is not a game,” declaring that the tour should not go on. The political Right advocated for the continuation of the tour. An article written in The Spectator called attention to the fact that Great Britain competes with many other oppressive nations and no protests ensue.
eventREF E-0069151Revised
5 November 1969
South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration.
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019
How we know this
- 01Boddy-Evans, A. ‘This Day in African History: 5 November’, [online], available at https://africanhistory.about.com (accessed: 9 October 2013)
- 02Global Nonviolent Action Database, ‘British citizens protest apartheid South African sports tours (Stop the Seventy Tour), 1969-1970’, [online], available at https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu (accessed: 9 October 2013)
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, November 7). South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration.. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069151
South African History Online (2011) 'South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration.', South African History Online, 7 November. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069151 (Accessed: 26 October 2026).
South African History Online, South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069151, (accessed 26 October 2026).
"South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration.." South African History Online, 7 Nov. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069151. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "South African Springbok rugby tour in UK is disrupted by anti-apartheid demonstration.." South African History Online. November 7, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0069151.
Also on 5 November
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- 1987ANC stalwart and Rivonia Trialist, Govan Mbeki, is released from Robben Island Prison
- 1994Johan Heyns, influential church leader and former moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church is murdered
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