Linda Mbeki
Linda Thokozile Mbeki was a South African political activist and a member of the prominent Mbeki family. She was the eldest daughter of the anti-apartheid stalwarts Govan Mbeki and Epainette Mbeki. She was also the elder sister of former South African president Thabo Mbeki
Early life and career
Linda Mbeki was born in 1941 in the rural village of Mbewuleni in the Eastern Cape. She was the firstborn in a family deeply rooted in political resistance. Her father, Govan, was a leading figure in the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party, and was imprisoned on Robben Island following the Rivonia Trial. Her mother, Epainette, was a pioneering community activist and one of South Africa’s first black female social workers.In 1974, Mbeki was employed by Standard Bank, becoming the first black woman to work for the bank. Experiencing inside her workplace, she left the bank shortly.
In 1976, the apartheid police arrested and detained her without trial for 10 months in Pretoria and Thornhill, accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Although less public than her more prominent family members, she was involved in community development and quietly supported the anti-apartheid movement. She worked closely with various grassroots organizations and was known for her commitment to social justice and gender equality.