November 8 in blog
I had blogged enough yesterday, but it was still remiss of me not to mark someone’s 90th birthday. It may surprise some that my favourite political heroine is not Margaret Thatcher. Whilst I am unstinting in my admiration for Baroness Thatcher and all she achieved for this country, there is someone else. That lady is Helen Suzman, the former Sou
th African MP who campaign against apartheid for decades. Between 1961 and 1974, she was the sole anti-apartheid MP in the South African Parliament – a position that required great bravery in the face of an unrelenting Afrikaner government determined to uphold their unjusitifed pre-eminence. She endured insults and hostility that few could endure. She has had two nominations for a Nobel Peace Prize – and she would have been a much worthier winner than some others have proved to be. These days, she is as critical of Thabo Mbeki as she was of the apartheid regime – a stance that requires no less courage today.
th African MP who campaign against apartheid for decades. Between 1961 and 1974, she was the sole anti-apartheid MP in the South African Parliament – a position that required great bravery in the face of an unrelenting Afrikaner government determined to uphold their unjusitifed pre-eminence. She endured insults and hostility that few could endure. She has had two nominations for a Nobel Peace Prize – and she would have been a much worthier winner than some others have proved to be. These days, she is as critical of Thabo Mbeki as she was of the apartheid regime – a stance that requires no less courage today. Her starting point in politics is the inextinguishable dignity of each and every human being. I think it a very good place to begin. What the individual does to that dignity subsequently is, of course, another matter … … …
There is an excellent interview with her, dating from 2004, at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2004%2F05%2F16%2Fwsuz16.xml
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