Emma Mashinini

Emma Mashinini (21 August 1929 – 10 July 2017) was a South African trade unionist and political leader. Living in Johannesburg, her family was forcibly displaced several times during her childhood. She started working at age 14 and soon became a union organiser at her garment factory. She became active with the African National Congress (ANC) in 1956. Mashinini served for 12 years on the executive board of the National Union of Clothing Workers (NUCW) and founded the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) in 1975. She was arrested and detained without charges for six months in 1981–82. Quotes Priests must not just stand in their pulpits and preach about the suffering of the people. They have to do something about it. The church must follow people out of church. It will suffer if it doesn't get involved. To limit our concern to the worker's rights in the workplace. That's all right in comfortable countries, but in South Africa we've got to follow the worker out of his place of employment to see how he travels home, where he goes to, where his children go to, that there is no adequate housing or education. Everything around him is distorted. PART III South African's black Gold:Trade-Union Women fight for Worker's Right We wanted our own human dignity ... we wanted to be recognized as ourselves. I've lived a hard life, in many ways a horrible life, but I have always wanted to see the day of liberation. A Lifelong Fight for Labor Rights Prison and psychological torture did not deter Emma Mashinini in her 10-year struggle. interviewed by John Battersby 9th September 1991 External links Category:Women politicians in South Africa Category:African National Congress politicians Category:Trade unionists Category:1929 births Category:2017 deaths