WP 1: Cape Town

The research by is anchored in the University of Cape Town’s Simons Collection and Abdurahman Papers. It is informed by Padmore (1938), Césaire (2001), Bunting (2003), Goebel (2015), and Hyslop et al. (2022) and challenges Eurocentric anti-fascist historiography that limits fascism and anti-fascist resistance to interwar Europe. The study advances the argument that colonialism constitutes a form of fascism and repositions anti-colonial struggles as inherently anti-fascist. Focusing on apartheid South Africa as a fascist extension of colonial rule, it situates 1930s-1950s Cape Town as a site where Afrikaner nationalists sought to expand fascist ideologies – and where a robust anti-fascist resistance emerged. 

In the early 20th century, Cape Town – then the legislative capital of the Union of South Africa – was shaped by a governance structure that merged British and Afrikaner interests while favouring British dominance. This imbalance fuelled Afrikaner resentment and propelled their pursuit of full political control. The city’s growing economy and multicultural demographic also created labour competition and social tensions, which Afrikaner nationalists sought to resolve through racial supremacist policies rooted in white nationalism. These efforts culminated in the formalisation of apartheid in 1948, marked by racial classification, forced removals, and governance models inspired by European fascist regimes. 

Simultaneously, Cape Town emerged as a site of anti-fascist resistance. Centred in District Six and led by Zainunissa “Cissie” Gool – a Coloured feminist and leader in the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) – the resistance drew strength from the city’s unique urban dynamics: traditions of intellectual radicalism, multiracial political coalitions, and international communist linkages facilitated by the port. Through these, Gool envisioned a classless, egalitarian society, while her leadership united diverse communities to resist apartheid’s expanding authoritarianism through protests, cultural defiance, and grassroots organising.  

This resistance organised along three primary axes. Morally, it asserted the dignity and equality of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC). Materially, District Six’s diverse working-class community resisted through boycotts of white-owned businesses and subversive cultural events like the 1936 Coon Carnival. Ideologically, the CPSA fused communist ideas with strategies of non-violence and cultural affirmation, evident in the multiracial demonstrations of 1939. Cape Town’s port functioned as both a symbolic and literal conduit then, connecting local resistance to global anti-fascist struggles.  

By advancing apartheid as a form of fascism, the case study of the Capetonian war on fascism expands the conceptual scope of anti-fascist historiography. It offers scholars new perspectives on anti-fascist resistance beyond Europe, provides activists with models for multiracial organising, and suggests to policymakers strategies for inclusive urban governance. Ultimately, it frames Cape Town as a critical node within a global network of anti-fascist resistance.