The London Recruits
BBC Sounds
★★★★★

“DO your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu.

Those simple words sum up the contribution of the London Recruits who went to apartheid South Africa in the late 1970s and early 1980s to carry out covert propaganda exercises on behalf of the African National Congress (ANC).

Their story, of “men and women who risked everything for a cause that was not their own but that they knew to be right” is brought to Radio 4 by playwright Gregory Evans as part of its Drama on 4 series. Material for the play was drawn from London Recruits: The Secret War Against Apartheid, ed Ken Keable (Merlin Press, 2012). This was no easy task, but he brings the story to life through the characters of Peter (Fraser Wall) and Annie (Jordon Stevens/Nicola Walker).

They were told by Bernie, their handler, as were all the London Recruits, not to talk about it. They didn’t, but when Peter dies Annie feels the need to share this secret via a tape recording with his daughter Adelaide.

Peter is a middle class LSE MA student and Annie a young working-class woman who, much to Peter’s amazement, has never holidayed abroad, flown or stayed in a hotel. The contrast between the two is apparent throughout the production.

The play, a work of fiction, is certainly a drama, bringing together many of the “difficult” moments experienced by the Recruits, some highly amusing if it wasn’t for the dangers. It reflects the naivety of youth and the stresses of operating covertly in a police state believing (often without justification) that everyone who glances at you for more than a moment knows what you are doing.

While focusing on the importance of the immediate task, Evans manages to explain how it was the efforts and sacrifice of the South African people which played the major part in defeating apartheid.

I was particularly impressed by the way in which the characters of Peter and Annie are used to portray the pressure of such activity on their relationship. The play addresses many issues of fear, insecurity, and danger. It poses many questions for its listeners including how does one transition back into normal life after engaging in such risky covert activity even if only for a relatively short time.

If you missed it, the play is well worth a listen.  

The London Recruits is available on BBC Sounds.  

Bob Newland is a former London Recruit and author of Wherever the Struggle Is: A Life of International Solidarity (Merlin Press, 2026).