Alexander Hepple (1904-1983) was born in Johannesburg on 28 August 1904. He was the leader of the South African Labour Party, 1953-1958, and founder and chairman of the Treasons Trials Defence Fund, 1956-1961, and of the South African Defence and Aid Fund, 1960-1964. With his wife Girlie he established the International Defence and Aid Fund's Information Service in London in 1967, which they managed together until their retirement at the end of 1972. Hepple was the author of 'Verwoerd' (Pelican, 1967) and 'South Africa: a political and economic history' (Pall Mall, 1966), as well as numerous pamphlets and articles on political and trade union affairs in South Africa. He died in Canterbury, England, on 16 November 1983.