Denis Goldberg - Anti-Apartheid Activist

Denis Goldberg (b. in Cape Town, 1933) is a Jewish South African social campaigner, who was active in the struggle against apartheid and was imprisoned along with other key members of the anti-apartheid movement. In Nelson Mandela's book, A Long Walk to Freedom, he quotes Denis Goldberg in the Rivonia Courtroom shouting, "Life, Life to live!" when Justice de Wet sentenced him and his comrades to life imprisonment for treason.

He grew up in Cape Town and studied for a degree in Civil Engineering. As member of the South African Communist Party, an organisation which was suppressed by the apartheid regime which came to power in 1948, he joined other leading white members in forming the Congress of Democrats, of which he became leader. This in turn allied itself with the African National Congress and other 'non-racial' congresses in the Congress Alliance. He was detained in 1960 and spent four months in prison without trial.

When the underground armed wing, UmKhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) was founded in 1961 with Nelson Mandela as the first Commander in Chief, Denis Goldberg became a technical officer. In 1963 he was arrested at the Rivonia H/Q of their army. He was sentenced with his comrades in 1964 at the end of the famous Rivonia Trial to four terms of life imprisonment.

Denis Goldberg described the issue of being white and involved with the armed struggle as follows: "Being black and involved (in the struggle) meant you had support of many people and it meant you got to be part of a community. Being white and involved meant being isolated."

He was sent to a white prison in Pretoria. Whilst in prison he took degrees in Public Administration, History and Geography, and in Library Science. He was halfway through a law degree when he was released.

As time passed the national and international struggle against apartheid grew in intensity. Even in prison Denis Goldberg played a role in the struggle. The United Democratic Front adopted as patrons Nelson Mandela, Denis Goldberg and all the Rivonia Trialists. The UDF was a coming together of some 700 anti-apartheid organisations in South Africa.

In 1985 the pressure on the old regime grew to the point where political prisoners had to be released over a period culminating in Nelson Mandelas release in 1990. Denis Goldberg was released in 1985 after 22 years in prison.

The conditions,under which Dennis Goldberg was released, were, among others, a promise to abstain from criticising the Apartheid regime. One of the first things Denis Goldberg did after his release, was to go to Israel, where his daughter was living in Kibbutz Maa'yan Baruch in Upper Galilee. While in Israel, Dennis Goldberg criticised the Israeli government for doing business and otherwise cooperating with South Africa. His critique caused quite a debate in Israel, where many felt, he should have stayed away.

He went into exile in London where he joined his family. In London he resumed his work in the African National Congress (ANC) in its London office from 1985 to 1994. He was a spokesperson for the ANC and also represented it at the Anti-Apartheid Committee of the United Nations. A large group of US organisations presented Denis Goldberg with the Albert Luthuli Peace Prize in recognition of his work against apartheid.

After the first non racial elections in South Africa Denis Goldberg founded the development organisation Community H.E.A.R.T. (Health Education And Reconstruction Trainin). in London in 1995 to help to improve the living standards of black South Africans. With the support of German friends he established Community H.E.A.R.T. e.V. in Essen in Germany in 1996.

In 1999 Glasgow Caledonian University awarded Denis Goldberg an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (L.L.D.) In recognition of his work in building relations between Glasgow Caledonian and the universities South Africa. MEDUNSA (The Medical University of Southern Africa) awarded Denis Goldberg an Honorary Doctorate (Ph.D.) on 20 May 2000 in recognition of his contribution to the liberation and reconstruction of South Africa, especially for his work in the field of education. Denis Goldberg has also been appointed as a trustee of the university of Transkei Foundation and as a member of the board of MEDUNSA Trust.

Denis Goldberg returned to South Africa in 2002 and was appointed Special Adviser to Ronnie Kasrils MP, then Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry.

Denis Goldberg came to Perth for a Scottish Trade Union Congress Conference in 2003. He spoke at a fringe meeting on Southern Africa held in a room above what was then the Silver Broom public house (later Bar Code and then Angry Mics - a pub popular with young people into the self-creative music life of the city).