Lindiwe Mabuza
Lindiwe Mabuza (13 August 1938 – 6 December 2021) was a South African politician, diplomat, poet, academic, journalist, and activist who fought against apartheid. She was born in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, and studied in Lesotho and the United States, earning master's degrees from Stanford University (English) and the University of Minnesota (American Studies). She taught at the University of Minnesota and Ohio University before joining the African National Congress (ANC) in 1975 and going into exile.
In the 1980s, Mabuza worked for the ANC abroad. She served as the ANC’s Chief Representative to Scandinavia, based in Stockholm, where she built international support and funds for the movement. She later became Chief Representative to the United States, helping push sanctions against apartheid and supporting the global boycott. Her work helped pave the way for Nelson Mandela’s release and Mandela’s first visit to the United States after his release.
After apartheid ended, Mabuza entered South Africa’s government. She was Ambassador to Germany in 1995, High Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei (with non-resident Ambassador to the Philippines) in 1999, and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland from 2001 to 2009. In 2009 she was named Diplomat of the Year from Africa by The Diplomat magazine.
Mabuza also contributed to culture and youth development. She worked with the Ifa Lethu Foundation to repatriate South African artworks and supported the Dramatic Need charity for children. She advised the Thabo Mbeki Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund UK. She wrote poetry and published several works, including Letter to Letta and Voices that Lead, as well as a children’s book, South African Animals.
Lindiwe Mabuza passed away on 6 December 2021 at age 83 after battling cancer.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:48 (CET).