Durban Moment

The Durban Moment refers to the period in the early and mid-1970s when the South African city of Durban became the centre of a new vibrancy in the struggle against apartheid. Coined by academic Tony Morphet, the term describes the convergence of various intellectual and activist movements in Durban that significantly influenced the anti-apartheid struggle. The two central figures in this moment were Steve Biko and Richard Turner – the former was closely associated with the Black Consciousness Movement and the latter with the trade union movement. The two were in a reading group together. Both were influenced by the new left and had links to radical Christian circles.