What is the Congress of the People?

It is an assembly of delegates of all the people of South Africa, where they will speak of freedom and of how to get it: there they will adopt a Freedom Charter drawn up from all the views of all the people everywhere; of what they would do IF THEY COULD MAKE THE LAWS.

Who can send delegates to the Congress of the People?

Any group of men and women, no matter how many there are; they should live in the same street, block, village or town; or they should work together in the same factory, office, shop or farm.

How are delegates to be chosen?

By a vote of the people who come together in a meeting in a house, or in a hall in a village, where they can talk over and agree on what they want in the Freedom Charter, and what their spokesmen to the Congress of the People must say.

What are delegates to do?

They are to travel to Johannesburg, so as to arrive not later than 10 a.m. Saturday morning, June 25th, 1955. In Johannesburg, they are to report to the offices of the African National Congress, South African Indian Congress, South African Congress of Democrats, and the South African Coloured People's Organisation, whose addresses we insert at the end of this leaflet. They are to bring their own blankets. Where they have no friends to accommodate them for the night, accommodation will be provided.

Who is to pay for the food and travelling?

Those who elect the delegate must pay for his travelling, and give him five shillings for his food. If they are willing to speak of freedom they must be willing to collect money to help win it. Those who can, should collect food, mealies, potatoes, rice, for the delegate to take to the Congress of the People Delegates’ Kitchen at the Congress.

What if money cannot be raised?

If every effort to raise the money fails, or if no one at your meeting can leave work to travel to Johannesburg, appoint a friend or any acquaintance who lives on the Witwatersrand to represent you.