RAND REBELLION From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia Rand Rebellion
Contemporary depiction of the uprising Date
28 December 1921 – 16 March 1922
Location
Witwatersrand, Union of South Africa
Result
Rebellion suppressed
Commanders and leaders Jan Smuts
Bill Andrews Harry Spendiff † Jimmy Green Percy Fisher †
Casualties and losses 153 killed[1] The Rand Rebellion (Afrikaans: Rand-rebellie; also known as the 1922 strike) was an armed uprising of white miners in the Witwatersrand region of South Africa, in March 1922. Jimmy Green, a prominent politician in the Labour Party, was one of the leaders of the strike. Following a drop in the world price of gold from 130 shillings (£6 10s) per fine troy ounce in 1919 to 95s/oz (£4 15s) in December 1921, the companies tried to cut their operating costs by decreasing wages, and by weakening the colour bar to enable the promotion of racially cheapened black miners to skilled and supervisory positions.[2] The rebellion started as a strike by white mine workers on 28 December 1921 and shortly thereafter, it became an open rebellion against the state. [3]: 292 Subsequently the workers, who had armed themselves, took over the cities of Benoni and Brakpan, and the Johannesburg suburbs of Fordsburg and Jeppe. The young Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) took an active part in the uprising on grounds of class struggle whilst reportedly opposing racist aspects of the strike,[4] as did the syndicalists. The racist aspect was typified by the slogan; "Workers of the world, unite and fight for a white South Africa!" and by several pogroms against blacks.[5] 87 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3D– 1922 Red Revolt on the Rand
