Tributes Paid to Gertrude Shope, Iconic Leader in South Africa’s Liberation

(The Post News)- President Cyril Ramaphosa remembered Anti-Apartheid Stalwart Gertrude Shope as a leader in the struggle who had shaped South Africa’s democracy. He described Shope as an icon of the women’s movement. Ramaphosa was speaking at Shope’s funeral at Wits University in Braamfontein on Saturday. She had passed away on Thursday, May 29, at the age of 99.

Given Shope’s sacrifices during the apartheid era in South Africa, Ramaphosa said she should be remembered for her contribution to the country’s struggle. “We should remember her for her lifelong contribution to the struggle for freedom for all, especially for women silenced in the margins of apartheid oppression and patriarchy,” Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa took the moment to acknowledge the role women play in society. “She taught us that liberation without the liberation of women means that our revolution is unfinished. She also taught us that democracy without the voice of women is a fragile and partial democracy,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi described Shope as a stalwart who played a significant role in South Africa’s liberation and policy-making. Lesufi remembered Shope as a global leader.

Her family said she valued education; Shope’s grandson, Molefe Shope, said his grandmother prioritized education, providing them with access to quality learning opportunities.

Shope was among the apartheid activists who joined the ANC at a young age; at 29, she joined the ANC to boycott Bantu education. Between 1958 and 1966, she was elected chairperson of the Central Western Jabavu Branch of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) and later left for exile in 1966. Shope held several leadership positions during the apartheid era until the birth of South Africa’s democracy. She was elected president of the ANC Women’s League in 1991 and served as a member of parliament in the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 1994.