Original artworks and posters depicting the liberation struggle, in an exhibition titled Imaging the Struggle: An exhibition of Southern African struggle posters, have been gracing the African Studies Library for the past weeks.

"The posters of the liberation struggle were both didactic and propagandist as well as constituting historical documents for successive generations," explains Sandy Shell, head librarian at the African Studies Library.

So, for example, the poster of Ruth First is particularly significant as it was produced at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane within 24 hours of her assassination there, explains Shell.

The posters, from South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, as well from the auxiliary 'progressive' support movements in Europe and North America, were drawn from the collections housed in the African Studies Library. Two of the posters on display are original artworks created to promote the launch of the United Democratic Front (UDF) at Rocklands Civic Centre some 25 years ago.

The exhibition runs until 19 September.