Eddie Daniels (political activist)

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Edward (Eddie) Daniels was a South African anti-apartheid activist born on October 25, 1928, in District Six, Cape Town. He spent about 15 years as a political prisoner on Robben Island, during the time Nelson Mandela was also imprisoned there. He died on November 30, 2017, in Somerset West at the age of 89.

Daniels was given the racial label “Coloured” by the state, but he preferred to be called a South African.

Growing up in District Six and Lavender Hill, he had a mostly happy childhood. He saw unfairness and police injustice, which helped shape his sense of fairness. He finished school with a Grade 8 certificate and held several small jobs. After World War II, he tried to join the merchant navy, and in 1954 he went whaling. He later worked in diamond mining in Oranjemund, where he operated large machines and sometimes passed as white.

In 1952, Daniels became more active in politics. He attended meetings and protests and joined the Liberal Party of South Africa, which later helped form the African Resistance Movement in 1961. He believed in democracy and a non-racial South Africa. He once told Walter Sisulu that he joined the party simply because of its principles, and Sisulu was impressed by his conviction.

Because of the activities of the Liberal Party and its allies, Daniels participated in acts of sabotage and was arrested. From 1964 to 1979, he was imprisoned, mostly on Robben Island. He later described life in jail with honesty and humor in his writings. He was not a member of the ANC, but he was close to Nelson Mandela and shared information with him.

After his release, Daniels was kept under house arrest until July 1983. While in prison, he studied and earned a BA and a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Once his ban was lifted, he earned a teaching diploma and began a teaching career during a time of student protests.

Daniels had a long relationship with Eleanor Buchanan. Because of the Group Areas Act, they could not marry initially. They married in 1983 in contravention of the Act, and seven years later, after the Act was repealed, they married legally. Eleanor died in 2001.

He traveled overseas to speak at educational events and often thanked supporters for their help. In 2014, he helped revive the Freedom Swim, which goes from Robben Island to Big Bay, and he inspired many young swimmers with his speech. Eddie Daniels passed away on November 30, 2017, in Somerset West, Western Cape.