The Rand Rebellion (or Rand Revolt, or Second Rand Revolt) was an armed uprising of white miners in the Witwatersrand region of South Africa, in March 1922, sparked off by their intensified exploitation by their employers. 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 a fine troy ounce in 1919 to 95s/oz in December 1921, the companies tried to maintain their old profit margins by decreasing wages, and a weakening of the colour bar to enable the promotion of cheaper black miners to skilled and supervisory positions.[1]
The rebellion started as a strike by white mineworkers on 28 December 1921 and became an open rebellion against the state. Subsequently, the workers 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 while opposing racist aspects of the strike,[2] typified by the slogan; "Workers of the world, unite and fight for a white South Africa!"[3]
Several communists, including the strike leaders Percy Fischer and Harry Spendiff, were killed as the rebellion was quelled by state forces.[4] The rebellion was eventually crushed by "considerable military firepower and at the cost of over 200 lives".[5]
Prime Minister Jan Smuts crushed the rebellion with 20,000 troops, artillery, tanks, and bomber aircraft. This caused a political backlash and he lost the following elections in 1924 to a coalition of the National and Labour parties which introduced the Industrial Conciliation Act 1924, Wage Act 1925 and Mines and Works Amendment Act 1926, which recognised white trades unions and reinforced the colour bar.[6] Under instruction from the Comintern, the CPSA reversed its attitude toward the colour bar and adopted a new 'Native Republic' policy.[7][8]