PASS LAWS ACTIVIST FINALLY RESTED

SUSAN Conjwa, who served the community of Nyanga and many other shack settlements in Cape Town, has passed aged 91.

Conjwa (pictured) passed away at her home in Nyanga, Cape Town, after suffering Alzheimer’s disease for many years.

Conjwa fought for human rights for more than 30 years. She occupied an outbuilding within the confines of the Nyanga Methodist Church, close to her home.

She maintained a strong connection to the Methodist Church throughout her life. She also joined the Methodist Church’s Urban Planning Commission led by the Reverend Des Adendorff.

The church outbuilding was the base for Conjwa’s many planning sessions, social programmes and community projects such as brickmaking. The flagship of Conjwa’s community involvement was the

SUSAN CONJWA BORN: December 25 1925 DIED: Saturday 15 2016 FUNERAL: To be confirmed BURIAL: Nyanga Cemetery, Cape Town

Sisekho Youth Project.

Aunt Sue as she was known, was a well-known social activist, particularly against the hated pass laws.

She is credited with organising a meeting with the then apartheid minister of black affairs Piet Kooornhof.

Conjwa’s major contribution to the struggle in Nyanga in particular, and the Western Cape in general, was challenging Koornhof to demonstrate his “born again” status by repealing the pass laws.

After this meeting the pass laws were no longer rigidly enforced. This let to the free movement of work seekers in the Western Cape.

This meeting had been set up by prominent Cape Town clerics like Dutch Reformed Church moderator Rev Moolman and Rev Jan De Waal. The meeting also directly resulted in the ending of a fast in protest at the pass laws at Cape Town’s Anglican Cathedral.

“A major achievement of this period was the establishment of Khayelitsha as a township.

“This also led to the limited opening up of land for black people which hitherto had been unthinkable,” said Rommel Roberts, who was one of the convenors of the meeting with Koornhof.

“This action effectively meant the beginning of the end of the rigid application of apartheid laws.”

Conjwa was also active in counselling and advising the youth of Nyanga during the 1976 uprisings.

She, together with clerics like Bishop David Russel, played a key role in reconciling hostel dwellers who were turned against township residents by apartheid security forces in Nyanga.

Conjwa will be buried at Nyanga cemetery.