Archive of End Loans to Southern Africa 1974-95

Organizational History

End Loans to Southern Africa (ELTSA) campaigned for the end to apartheid through the imposition of effective financial sanctions. It was established in 1974 by the Reverend David Haslam to campaign initially against loans by Midland Bank, together with other European banks, to the South African government through the European American Banking Corporation. It subsequently broadened its activities to campaign through consumer and shareholder action, parliamentary lobbying and other activities against all foreign, and particularly British, assistance to South Africa and for the implementation of the United Nations General Assembly resolution to end all new investment in and financial loans to South Africa. ELTSA carried out research into British banks and companies, produced information and campaigning documents and pioneered the techniques of pressure group shareholder action. A major element of its banks campaign was the boycott of Barclays Bank. In addition to the banking and disinvestment campaigns ELTSA was involved in the campaign to isolate South African gold through the World Gold Commission and through Embargo it supported the oil embargo of South Africa, with a particular focus during the late 1980s on the boycott of Shell.

In 1994 ELTSA was transformed into the Southern Africa Economic Research Unit (SAERU) to address the economic legacies of apartheid and encourage financial assistance to the region.

Acquisition

Restrictions on Access

Arrangement

A   ELTSA minutes and memoranda, 1974-94

A.1   ELTSA minutes, 1974-94

A.2   ELTSA publications and memoranda, 1974-93

B   Banking and Disinvestment Campaigns, 1974-94

B.1   Barclays Bank Campaign, 1975-93

B.2   General banks campaign, 1974-93

B.3   Disinvestment Campaigns, 1976-94

B.4   Conferences and activities, 1978-94

C   Embargo, 1980-93

Embargo was the successor to the Oil Working Group which was created in 1980 by War on Want, the Methodist Church Overseas Division and the United Reform Church, to raise the issue of illegal oil exports to Southern Africa. In 1981 Christian Concern for Southern Africa undertook responsibility for co-ordinating the group which lobbied oil companies, raised questions at their annual general meetings, undertook research and published two books including Oil and Apartheid. In 1985 the group was renamed Embargo and ELTSA took over its administration.

C.1   Minutes and publications, 1980-92

C.2   Shell Campaign, 1980-92

C.3   General Oil Campaign, 1980-93

C.4   General Embargo files, 1985-90s

D   World Gold Commission, 1988-91

The World Gold Commission was founded in 1988 to promote worldwide sanctions against South African gold sales. Among its backers were ELTSA, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the African National Congress and the South West African Peoples' Organisation and funding for its research programme came from the United Nations Centre on Apartheid. The Commission presented evidence to international bodies, informed the public on the links between gold mining and the South African government and promoted the use of non-South African gold in the jewellery industry.

E   General files, 1977-95

Includes ANC papers on the South African economy

F   Southern Africa Economic Research Unit (SAERU), 1991-5