During the oppressive era of apartheid in South Africa, the simple act of travel became a radical form of activism for Black women. The white-minority government aggressively enforced pass laws designed to control their movement and keep them “in their place.” In a powerful act of defiance, a courageous group of women refused to stay put. Figures like union leader Elizabeth Mafekeng, who once fled the country disguised as a domestic worker, and Lilian Ngoyi, who traveled abroad to build global solidarity networks, used mobility as a weapon. Their high-risk journeys across borders, often undertaken with clever disguises and forged documents, were essential to the liberation struggle. By exchanging ideas internationally and organizing domestically, these unsung heroines not only fought for freedom of movement but also helped shape the very foundation of a future democratic South Africa.
The Conversation
