Latest news with #antiApartheid
The Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Activist, diplomat and ex-Cape Town mayor Theresa Solomon dies aged 79
The City of Cape Town has paid tribute to former mayor and anti-apartheid activist Theresa Solomon, who died on Monday evening surrounded by her family at the age of 79. 'Former mayor Solomon will be remembered for her dedication to justice and activism, which brought about meaningful change, especially on the Cape Flats, where she played a pivotal role in establishing civic organisations to campaign for amenities in the wake of forced removals in the 1970s, including schools, hospitals and police stations,' said mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. ' As a mother, activist and leader, her legacy will continue to inspire future generations.' Solomon was born in 1945 in District Six and served as mayor of Cape Town from 1996 to 1998, later also serving as South Africa's high commissioner to Tanzania and Canada. Solomon was a founding member of NPO the Mitchells Plain Development Action Collective. 'Fondly known as Mom T or T, Theresa dedicated her life to the struggle for justice and equality,' said the NPO. 'The Solomon family moved to Woodlands in 1979, where she was involved in numerous campaigns such as the bus boycott, advocating for a school in Tafelsig and opposing rent increases. She was instrumental in community activism with the establishment of the Leadwood Creche and the Woodlands People's Centre. 'Theresa went on to become Cape Town's first black female mayor and later served as South Africa's [high commissioner in] Canada as well as a term as [high commissioner in] Tanzania.' TimesLIVE
News24
08-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Former Cape Town mayor Theresa Solomon dies
Former mayor of Cape Town and anti-apartheid activist Theresa Solomon died on Monday at the age of 79 after a period of illness. She was surrounded by her relatives, family spokesperson Neil Cole said. 'Born in Cape Town in 1945, Solomon dedicated her life to the struggle for justice and equality. From organising communities on the Cape Flats to serving as Cape Town's first black female mayor and later as South Africa's High Commissioner to Tanzania and Canada, her unwavering commitment to social justice uplifted countless lives,' said Cole. He added that Solomon was a 'tireless champion of community empowerment and youth leadership'. READ | Calls for 'corrupt' Ngconde Balfour to testify before Zondo Commission 'Solomon will be remembered for her courage, humility, and love for the people of South Africa. She is survived by her daughter Lee-Anne, son-in-law, Oscar, grandchildren, Tina-Malaika and Ruiz, and her brother, Jerome.' 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to all those who loved and will forever be inspired by Solomon's extraordinary legacy,' he said. Cole added that Solomon 'was especially loved' by the people of Mitchells Plain, where she lived and worked during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. In a social media post, the Mitchells Plain Development Action Collective (MPDAC) described Solomon as a 'mother, grandmother, community leader… and founder member of the MPDAC. MPDAC mourns the passing of Theresa Solomon (79), a mother, grandmother, community leader, former Cape Town Mayor, a... Posted by Mitchells Plain Development Action Collective: NPO 245-445 on Monday, July 7, 2025 'The Solomon family moved to Woodlands in 1979, where she was involved in numerous campaigns, such as the bus boycott, advocating for a school in Tafelsig, and opposing rent increases,' the post said. 'She was instrumental in community activism with the establishment of the Leadwood Creche and the Woodlands People's Centre. Solomon went on to become Cape Town's first black female mayor.'
The Herald
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald
Photographer, cultural activist and jazz promoter Rashid Lombard dies
Acclaimed photographer, cultural activist and jazz promoter Rashid Lombard died in Cape Town on Wednesday, surrounded by his loved ones. He was 74. Born on April 10 1951 in North End, Gqeberha, Lombard moved with his family to Cape Town in 1962. 'Originally trained as an architectural draftsman and later as an industrial photographer, he began his career with construction giant Murray & Roberts,' said family spokesperson Benny Gool. In 1970, Lombard married Colleen Rayson and the couple had three children. 'As a child in the Eastern Cape, Rashid experienced a diverse, harmonious community — black, white, Coloured, Indian and Chinese — until the brutal machinery of apartheid forcibly removed his friends to racially segregated areas, never to be seen or heard of again.' His political consciousness was later amplified through the influence of the Black Consciousness Movement. Lombard went on to work as a freelance photographer and television sound recordist during the height of the anti-apartheid struggle. 'His lens captured the unrest and hope of a nation in transition for international media outlets including AFP, the BBC and NBC.' Over the course of his career, he documented pivotal moments in South Africa's journey to freedom, including the rise of the democratic movement in the 1980s, the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the country's first democratic elections in 1994. Gool said with democracy came the opportunity for Lombard to fully embrace his other great passion, jazz. He served as station manager at Fine Music Radio and later as programming manager at P4 Smooth Jazz Radio. In 1997, Lombard founded espAfrika, the events management company behind one of his most enduring legacies: the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, which he launched in 2000 and directed until his retirement in 2014. After stepping away from the festival, Lombard took over the digitisation of his archives, a task previously managed by his wife. He later partnered with the National Archives and the department of sport, arts and culture to make the collection publicly accessible online as a national heritage resource. Lombard's extraordinary archive — more than 500,000 film negatives, video and audio recordings — is now preserved at the University of the Western Cape. In 2010, Lombard published Jazz Rocks , edited by the late George Hallett. The book is a journey looking through the eye of Lombard's camera, capturing music, people and places that defined his life and work across the globe. He was honoured with numerous awards for both his contributions to news photography and his impact on music and tourism. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver 'for his excellent contribution to arts and culture and his dedication to promoting jazz music that has put South Africa on the map for many jazz enthusiasts around the world'. In 1986, legendary exiled photographer Ernest Cole, who had not held a camera for over a decade, borrowed Lombard's and turned the lens on him in a gesture of deep respect and recognition, Gool said. Asked in a later interview about his legacy, Lombard responded: 'No matter who you are — religion, race, male, female — you can achieve your dreams. I'm a true testament to that.' He is survived by his lifelong-partner Colleen Lombard, his sister Fazoe Sydow, his children and five grandchildren. Lombard will be buried according to Muslim rites. The Good Party extended its condolences to Lombard's family and said his contributions helped shape the soul of the nation. 'As the visionary behind the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, he brought global attention to Cape Town while ensuring that the event remained rooted in principles of inclusivity, access and development,' party leader Patricia de Lille said. She said during her time as Cape Town mayor, she had the privilege of working alongside Lombard. 'The jazz festival stood out not just as a world-class musical showcase but as an all-inclusive event that actively worked to build a more inclusive city, one that welcomed all, regardless of colour or creed,' De Lille said. TimesLIVE
