Activist shares his story globally

It is high time for people to unite and stand up for themselves and stop relying on the government to do things for them. These were the remarks uttered by the renowned HIV and human rights activist Mandla Majola during his launch of his new book titled 'Post Apartheid Community Based Activism'.

- UNATHI OBOSE

The event was held at Movement for Change Social Justice (MCSJ) offices at NY 3A in Gugulethu on Friday 6 June.

Majola, who dedicated almost all his life fighting for human rights, said the book was written by both Prof Louise Penner and Prof Rajini Srikanth from the University of Massachusetts Boston in the United States of America (USA). The book is about his life as an activist.

"I started to be an activist at a young age in 1999 when I joined a club called Young Romans FC in Gugulethu. We started by forming an association called the South African Mobile Library Association (SAMLA). The aim was to have a mobile library in Gugulethu using a truck where the children could easily access books in the area. In 2000 I joined the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) as a volunteer because I could see that many people were dying with Aids related diseases. So, I wanted to be involved. In 2008 I joined the Social Justice Coalition (SJC)," he explained.

The 54-year-old man said he became a provincial coordinator for TAC in 2001 before he was promoted as a national organiser in 2003.