By Toverview Staff
Duncan Innes, a former president of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS), has died, following a long illness.
Duncan was NUSAS president in 1968/9. Among others, he led the famous nine-day ‘Mafeje sit-in’ at the University of Cape Town in August 1968, which attracted widespread international attention.
A UCT and Oxford graduate, Archie Mafeje was due to take up a post as senior lecturer in social anthropology at UCT, but the university council withdrew the offer of employment after the NP government threatened to cut funding and impose sanctions on UCT.
Described as a ‘watershed event in UCT’s history’, students staged a nine-day sit-in aimed at pressurising the council into reversing its decision. The sit-in gained international coverage and was considered part of the global student protests of 1968.
Top: UCT students march from a protest meeting in the Jameson Hall to the Bremner Building. Above: Students enter the Bremner Building, the university’s administrative centre, at the start of their nine-day sit-in. Images: Spirit of ’68 Impact Report 2023, University of Cape Town.
Student leaders consulting during the sit-in in consultation. From left to right are Philip van der Merwe, Duncan Innes and Raphie Kaplinsky. Image: Wikipedia.
Innes was also said to have worked to bridge the gap between the black consciousness movement and the largely white student movement at English-language universities.
Later, he became executive director of the Innes Labour Brief, and a lecturer in the School of Economic and Business Sciences at Wits University.
Following their 40th reunion in 2008, veterans of the sit-in – mostly academics living overseas — created a bursary fund titled the Spirit of ‘68’ which, by 2018, had benefited 22 students.
Tribute by Maeder Osler
Maeder Osler, who preceded Duncan as NUSAS president by a few years, has commented as follows:
‘In spite of years of debilitating illness, Duncan was a warm, fun and frequent frequent visitor at Hanglip Farm in the ealy 2000s. He is also remembered for his significant labour briefs in earlier years. His account of his special friendship with Steve Biko — included in the book titled We Write What We Like: Celebrating Steve Biko (2007), is a lasting and valuable contribution to our political record. Also, I will always treasure his rugby story during his address at the memorial service for John Daniels at Wits University.
‘Duncan’s partner, Helene Perold, also a frequent visitor, remains a charming friend. She is also saluted here for her contributions to Independent Media Trust (IMT) workshops for community newspapers in the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, from which our predecessor, Toverberg Indaba, also benefited.’
Tribute by Martin Plaut
For a tribute by the academic and journalist Martin Plaut, click here.
A recent image of Duncan Innes. Source: Martin Plaut online.
Featured image: Duncan Innes addresses students during the 1968 student sit-in. Source: Spirit of ’68 Impact Report 2023, University of Cape Town.