Victoria Mxenge
Encyclopedia
Victoria Mxenge, was a South Africa
n anti-apartheid activist. Trained as a nurse and midwife
, she began practising law.
She became more politically active after her husband Griffiths
, who had been banned earlier and detained by the National Party
government, was murdered by the Apartheid government agents led by Dirk Coetzee
in Umlazi
township south of Durban. He had multiple stab wounds and his body was found near the soccer field in Umlazi.
A prominent member of the United Democratic Front
and the Natal Organisation of Women, she was part of the defence team for the UDF and Natal Indian Congress
during the Pietermaritzburg
Treason Trial. She was assassinated shortly before the trial. Her funeral was attended by over 10,000 people, and letters of condolence were received from Nelson Mandela
and Oliver Tambo
amongst others. Her murderers appeared before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Mxenge is one of four political activists honoured in Johnny Clegg
's song Asimbonanga (Mandela).
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n anti-apartheid activist. Trained as a nurse and midwife
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
, she began practising law.
She became more politically active after her husband Griffiths
Griffiths Mxenge
Griffiths Mxenge, was a South African anti-apartheid activist. Trained as a lawyer, he was assassinated by the apartheid secret police in 1981. He was a member of the African National Congress . He was sent to Robben Island in 1966 because of his political activities...
, who had been banned earlier and detained by the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
government, was murdered by the Apartheid government agents led by Dirk Coetzee
Dirk Coetzee
Dirk Coetzee was co-founder and commander of the covert South African Police unit based at Vlakplaas. He and his colleagues were involved in a number of atrocities including the murders of Sizwe Khondile and Griffiths Mxenge...
in Umlazi
Umlazi
Umlazi is a township on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The wider Umlazi area has a population of 750,000. The township is located south-west of Durban....
township south of Durban. He had multiple stab wounds and his body was found near the soccer field in Umlazi.
A prominent member of the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (South Africa)
The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
and the Natal Organisation of Women, she was part of the defence team for the UDF and Natal Indian Congress
Natal Indian Congress
The Natal Indian Congress was an organization that aimed to fight discrimination against Indians in South Africa. The Natal Indian Congress was started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, later known as the Mahatma...
during the Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
Treason Trial. She was assassinated shortly before the trial. Her funeral was attended by over 10,000 people, and letters of condolence were received from Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
and Oliver Tambo
Oliver Tambo
Oliver Reginald Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the African National Congress .-Biography:Oliver Tambo was born in Bizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now Eastern Cape...
amongst others. Her murderers appeared before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Mxenge is one of four political activists honoured in Johnny Clegg
Johnny Clegg (musician)
Jonathan "Johnny" Clegg is a musician from South Africa, who has recorded and performed with his bands Juluka and Savuka. Sometimes called Le Zoulou Blanc , he is an important figure in South African popular music history, with songs that mix Zulu with English lyrics, and African with various...
's song Asimbonanga (Mandela).