Victoria Mxenge

Victoria Mxenge
File:Victoria Mxenge.jpg
Born	(1942-01-01)1 January 1942 King William's Town, Eastern Cape
Died	Umlazi, Durban, Natal
Nationality	South African
Occupation	lawyer, nurse
Known for	anti-apartheid activist

Victoria Mxenge, (1 January 1942, King William's Town, Eastern Cape - 1 August 1985 Umlazi, Durban, Natal) was a South African anti-apartheid activist; she was trained as a nurse and midwife, and later began practicing law.

Life

She became more politically active after her husband Griffiths, who had been banned earlier and detained by the National Party government, was assassinated by Vlakplaas 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 Organization 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 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.

Legacy

Mxenge is one of four political activists honored in Johnny Clegg's song Asimbonanga (Mandela).

She has a residence at Rhodes University named after her.

In October 2005 the South African Ministry of the Environment launched the third and last Lillian Ngoyi class environmental patrol vessels named Victoria Mxenge in her honor.

External links

• South African History article
• Rhodes University Biography