On this day in 1989, Albertina “Ma” Sisulu stood before a crowd in London and delivered a speech that would resonate across the anti-apartheid movement. She was there to protest against British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s imminent meeting with South African President F.W. de Klerk.
Sisulu, a leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and wife of anti-apartheid icon Walter Sisulu, minced no words. She declared:
“De Klerk needs more money, he needs more loans from your banks, to keep apartheid going — to pay the army and buy arms. He is asking Western countries to help the Nats stay in power.”
Her message was clear: the apartheid regime was not reforming — it was reinforcing. And Western governments, especially Britain, were being asked to fund it.
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Who Was Albertina Sisulu?
Albertina Sisulu was born in 1918 in the Eastern Cape. She became a nurse, a political activist, and one of the most respected leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. Alongside her husband Walter Sisulu, she helped lead the African National Congress (ANC) and the UDF during the darkest years of apartheid.
She was arrested multiple times, banned, and harassed by the apartheid state. But she never stopped fighting.
Why the London Rally Mattered
In 1989, the apartheid regime was under intense international pressure. De Klerk had just taken office and was signaling a willingness to negotiate. But many activists, including Sisulu, viewed his overtures with deep suspicion.
The London rally was part of a global campaign to isolate South Africa economically and diplomatically. Margaret Thatcher’s government had resisted imposing full sanctions, and Sisulu’s speech challenged that policy directly.
Her words reminded the world that apartheid was not a political disagreement — it was a crime against humanity.
A Turning Point in History
Just over a year later, Nelson Mandela walked out of prison. The apartheid system would eventually fall. But at the moment Sisulu spoke in London, the outcome was uncertain.
Her courage, her clarity, and her refusal to be silenced made her one of the most powerful voices in the struggle for freedom.
