Fonds AD1702 - National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) records

Identity area

Reference code

ZA HPRA AD1702

Title

National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) records

Date(s)

  • circa 1950-circa 1965 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

microfilm

Context area

Name of creator

(1924 - 1990s)

Administrative history

NUSAS was founded  in 1924 by members of the Student Representative Councils (SRC) of South African Universities. The union was made up mostly of students from nine white English-language as well as Afrikaans South African universities, and later opened up to all students. Its aim was to advance the common interests of students and its mottos included non-racialism and non-sexism.

In 1945 the first black campus was admitted to NUSAS leading to a walkout by the Afrikaans Campuses. The State clampdown in the early sixties left NUSAS as one of the few organisations who were mobilising opposition against apartheid.

Beyers Naude was the honorary president of NUSAS and Helen Joseph was fondly known as the 'Grandmother of NUSAS'. NUSAS was not only concerned as an organisation with representing students in the political arena. It also concentrated on issues which affected students on a daily basis

NUSAS operated on a national level drawing students of diverse backgrounds and concerns together. By 1990 the Students' Representative Councils on all the 'liberal' campuses were affiliated to NUSAS. NUSAS was also represented through a Local Committee at Stellenbosch University and it had made contact with progressive organisations at the Universities of Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and RAU.

NUSAS was replaced by a non-racial student's organisation, The South African National Students Congress (SANSCO) in the early nineties

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This sequence is at present separated from the archives files from 1965 onwards.

It is divided into categories, arranged alphabetically, and, as far aspossible, sub-divisions are indicated within files. 'See also' notes are given wherever possible, but in the absence of a name and subject index, it has not always been possible to indicate clearly all the areas that should be examined in relation to any one individual or topic.

Separate categories are indicated clearly both on the 'jackets' and on the shelves in the NUSAS offices.

The location of material on the microfiche is marked opposite each entry. The number in brackets indicates the microfiche number.

Finally, it must be noted that categories have been allocated in terms of the structure of NUSAS with the purpose of making the archives 'usable' for students in South Africa seeking guidance and information from the past.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

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Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

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Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

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Dates of creation revision deletion

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Accession area

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