5 powerful books that shaped SA's human rights struggle

TODAY is Human Rights Day in South Africa, honouring the nation’s commitment to justice and equality.

- LUTHO PASIYA

South African literature has significantly contributed to the struggle for human rights, fostering awareness and influencing the ideologies that drove the anti-apartheid movement.

A number of books are particularly notable for their impact on both the South African and international conversations surrounding human rights.

I Write What I Like

by Steve Biko

This is a collection of writings that laid the foundation of the Black Consciousness Movement. Biko's work helped unite Black South Africans to reject psychological oppression and fight for self-liberation.

First published in 1978, a year after Biko died in police detention, the book gathers his columns, letters and speeches written between 1969 and 1972.

The book continues to be a reference point in South African politics and global Black studies, frequently cited for its insights on racism, post-colonialism and human dignity.