Henry Isaacs — the first ...

Henry Isaacs was born in Peitermaritzburg, South Africa. He matriculated at the Abton High School and after the Minister of Coloured Affairs had refused him permission under the Extension of University Education Act to attend an open university, he enrolled at the University of Western Cape for a B A degree.

Henry obtained his B A degree in 1971 with majors in Private Law and Psychology. After completing a B A he continued his studies for an LLB degree.

While at university, Henry was active in student affairs. In May 1970 he became chairman of a Constitutional Committee which was elected to draft a constitution for a Student Representative Council. The need for a representative body became imperative after victimisation of student leaders by university authorities and harassment by security police. This victimisation followed a strike by students after one student had been expelled for failing to wear a tie to lectures. Henry was chairman of the Action Committee which served as a representative body in the interregnum.

In August 1972 he was elected President of the SRC. As a result of a dispute between the university authorities and the outgoing SRC, the authorities refused to recognise the newly elected SRC' The SRC refused to serve as a rubber stamp for the authorities and applied to the Supreme Court for an order declaring the SRC to be a legally constituted Students' Association - an action unprecedented in the history of black student activism in South Africa.

In April 1973 Henry Isaacs was charged by the University Council with Contravening the rules and [unclear: regulatio] in that as President of the SRC he had 'issued a statement to the press and caused to be published, notices of a student mass meeting which had not been authorised by the Principal.' Henry contested this charge because these activities were legitimate SRC activities and the question of the legality of the SRC had not been finalised by the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless he was found guilty and fined R50 ($50) which he refused to pay. When he was suspended by the University Council from 1 May to June 1973 the students went on strike and all were expelled as a consequence. Henry was charged with 'trespassing on the university campus' on 8 June and detained incommunicado.

Henry was a foundation member of the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) as well as the Black Peoples' Convention (BPC) which rejects apartheid and all apartheid created institutions. Both organisations are protagonists of black consciousness which they describe as an attitude of mind, a way of life - if a man is free at heart then no chains can bind htm.'

On 26 July 1973 Henry Isaacs was banned and put under house arrest under the Suppression of Communism Act, one of the repressive laws the Vorster government has used against opponents of apartheid. At the time he was banned Henry was President of SASO and in his final year of study for an LLB degree.