Birthplace: Germiston, Gauteng
Born: 7 November 1917
Died: 1 January 2009
“I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights; the indispensable elements in a democratic society and well worth fighting for.” – Helen Suzman.
Born to Samuel and Frieda Gavrosnky in the then-Transvaal, Helen Suzman was brought up in a financially stable family. Her parents were Jews from Eastern Europe and had fled to South Africa to escape oppression. This may be part of what drove her life-long, passionate fight for social justice in Mzansi.
In 1935 Helen graduated from Parktown Convent Catholic High school and went on to study economics and economic history at Wits University at the age of 16. In 1937 Suzman dropped out of varsity to marry her husband Moses Suzman, although she eventually got her degree in 1940.
After working as a statistician, and lecturing at Wits University for eight years, in 1953 Suzman threw herself into politics. The National Party was firmly in power and was working hard to pass their oppressive apartheid laws. At first representing the United Party in Parliament, Suzman and 12 other MP’s formed the Progressive Party in 1959.
In the 1961 whites’ only election, the Progressive Party did badly and only Suzman retained her seat. Over the next 13 years she became famous for being a lone voice in Parliament harshly criticising the governing Nation Party’s policies of apartheid. During the 1970s she was also very outspoken about gender discrimination, particularly against black women.
Suzman retired from Parliament in 1989 after 36 years, but never retired from politics. She started The Helen Suzman Foundation in 1993 to help continue with her fight for social justice. She was part of the Independent Electoral Commission that oversaw the first democratic elections in 1994. In 1996, Suzman was at Nelson Mandela’s side when he signed the new Constitution.
A number of international universities awarded Suzman honorary doctorates for her anti-apartheid work. Her struggle against apartheid also won her the United Nations Human Rights Award in 1978.
At the age of 91, Helen Suzman died peacefully in her sleep on 1 January 2009. She was survived by her two daughters, Frances and Patricia.
