Friday, 2 January 2009
Internationally renowned anti-apartheid campaigner Helen Suzman, who for decades fought against the injustices of the racist white minority rule died Thursday, at age 91.
Helen Suzman has a special place in South African history as she was recognized as the most effective and courageous parliamentary fighter against the National Party’s apartheid policies. From 1961 to 1974, she was the sole representative in Parliament of the liberal Progressive Party.
Suzman retired from politics in 1989 with Tony Leon succeeding her as MP for Houghton. After her retirement, she served on a variety of top public institutions including the Independent Electoral Commission that oversaw the country’s first multiracial elections in 1994. She was with President Mandela when he signed the new constitution in 1996 as South Africa’s first black president. Mandela, to whom she sent classical music records in prison, awarded her a gold medal in recognition of her work.
Suzman had first visited Nelson Mandela in prison Robben Island in 1967. Mandela wrote in his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom: It was an odd and wonderful sight to see this courageous woman peering into our cells and strolling around courtyard. She was the first and only woman ever to grace our cells”.
Former President Botha once referred to her as a “vicious little cat”. She said to Botha: “If he was female, he would arrive in parliament on a broomstick”.
Suzman was also outspoken about Thabo Mbeki’s failings. Last year in July, she told BBC. “I am extremely disappointed at what’s happening and I have to put most of the blame on Thabo Mbeki for two particularly obnoxious things he’s done – his denialist attitude to AIDS, and the dreadful backing of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.
Suzman was born in Gemiston, Gauteng, on November 7, 1917 to a Jewish Lithuanian immigrant couple, Samuel and Frieda Gavronsky.
Mrs. Suzman received 27 honorary doctorates from universities all around the world including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia, and Cape Town. Suzman was also twice nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.
Huseyin Akturk
USAK - Center for African Studies
