The 1946 African Mine Workers' Strike and the Birth of Mass Resistance
The Story of South Africa: Empire, Apartheid, and Transformation — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
In August 1946, 100,000 black mine workers on the Witwatersrand gold fields walked off the job, demanding higher wages and the right to form unions. The strike was brutally suppressed by police, but it marked a turning point in South African labor history and the broader anti-apartheid struggle. Lucas and Luna break down the events leading up to the strike: the appalling conditions in the mine compounds, the role of the African Mine Workers' Union led by J.B. Marks, and the support from the ANC and Communist Party. They discuss how the strike changed the relationship between capital and the state, and why it's considered a precursor to the Defiance Campaign of the 1950s. Along the way, they touch on the legacy of figures like Bram Fischer and the significance of the 'Mine Wives' march led by women like Lilian Ngoyi. This episode uncovers a pivotal moment that's often overshadowed by later events. #SouthAfrica #1946Strike #AfricanMineWorkers #Witwatersrand #GoldMines #JBMarks #BramFischer #LilianNgoyi #DefianceCampaign #ANC #CommunistParty #LabourHistory #Apartheid #MineCompounds #MassResistance #TradeUnions #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
