Brief biographies of South African community leaders Mzwanele Mayekiso and Margaret Mashabela in preparation for their trip to Illinois from mid-May to mid-June. The trip, part of the efforts to create links between U.S. activists and the democratic, community-based organizations in SA townships, is sponsored by the Chicago-Alexandra Sister Community Project, with assistance from the Illinois Labor Network. Mashabela is Vice-President of the Alexandra Women's Congress, which has 5,000 registered members. Mzwanele Mayekiso is the Organizing Officer of the Alexandra Civic Organization, which has replaced the apartheid government-imposed town council in Alexandra with a democratic, community-based...
Brief biographies of South African community leaders Mzwanele Mayekiso and Margaret Mashabela in preparation for their trip to Illinois from mid-May to mid-June. The trip, part of the efforts to create links between U.S. activists and the democratic, community-based organizations in SA townships, is sponsored by the Chicago-Alexandra Sister Community Project, with assistance from the Illinois Labor Network. Mashabela is Vice-President of the Alexandra Women's Congress, which has 5,000 registered members. Mzwanele Mayekiso is the Organizing Officer of the Alexandra Civic Organization, which has replaced the apartheid government-imposed town council in Alexandra with a democratic, community-based organization. Alexandra is one of the oldest, poorest and most militant black townships in South Africa, located next to Johannesburg's most affluent white suburbs. Alexandra's 300,000 residents are crammed into less than two square miles. It has long been a target of brutal government repression. Mzwanele Mayekiso is the brother of union leader Moses Mayekiso. Mzwanele, Moses and three others were charged with treason and subversion for their community and union organizing work; they were acquitted in 1989 after two years in prison, following a massive campaign in South Africa and in the international labor community.
