Fatima Meer, leading South African activist, dies at 81

Durban - Fatima Meer, a leading figure in South Africa’s anti-Apartheid struggle and respected academic, has passed away following a stroke.

Independent Online reports eThekwini Municipality deputy mayor Logie Naidoo announced Friday evening that: ”She passed away about 30 minutes ago.” Naidoo is also a family friend. Meer (81) had been in hospital in the coastal town of Durban (part of eThekwini) for some weeks following a stroke. Meer organised vigils in the 1960s to protest against mass detentions of anti-apartheid activists. They were detained without trial. She was served a ”banning order,” which severely curtailed her civil rights, several times in the 1970s and was detained without trial for trying to organise a political rally with murdered Black Consciousness Movement founder Steve Biko. Meer narrowly avoided an assassination attempt after her release. News24 says Meer was a respected academic and her books included the story of an executed ANC guerrilla, Trial of Andrew Zondo, and a biography of Nelson Mandela, titled Higher Than Hope. She founded the Institute for Black Research at Natal University and also wrote scripts, including one about South African-born Mahatma Gandhi’s experiences in South Africa. The Indian government funded the script and the television production was bought by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Meer was known for holding some odd views, including her claim that Salman Rushdie was a blasphemer. After a visit to Iran, she also became a passionate apologist for the Islamic Revolution in the country. Fatima Meer is survived by her husband, Izmail, an active politician, and two daughters, Shehnaaz, a judge, and Shamin, a consultant in social science.