Shope, a former ANCWL president and uMkhonto weSizwe leader, fought tirelessly against apartheid and for women’s emancipation.
Tributes continue to pour in for former ANC Women’s League President Gertrude Shope following her death.
The veteran, also known as Ma Shope, died on Thursday at the age of 99.
Passing
The ANC announced Shope’s passing in a statement on Thursday evening, and tributes and condolences poured in on various social media platforms.
“The African National Congress announces with deep sadness the passing of Isithwalandwe/Seaparankoe Gertrude Shope, also known as Ma Shope, who departed peacefully at her home in Gauteng earlier today, aged 99.”
Shope was an Mkhonto weSizwe leader and the first president of the ANC Women’s League following its relaunch in 1991. She also served on the ANC national executive, among many other roles she held in politics.
Shope fought tirelessly against apartheid and for women’s emancipation.
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‘Revolutionary’
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said Shope was a “lifelong revolutionary”.
“Ma Shope, born on 15 August 1925, was a leader of profound discipline, courage and humility. From her early activism to the dawn of democracy, she served the struggle with unmatched commitment – in the underground, in exile, and in the democratic Parliament.
“As former President of the ANC Women’s League, head of the ANC Women’s Section in exile, and a member of the ANC NEC, she played a pivotal role in shaping the political direction of our movement and the emancipation of women in South Africa and beyond,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
Condolences
The ANC conveyed its condolences to the veteran’s family.
“The ANC mourns the loss of one of its most trusted daughters, a towering figure of our struggle whose legacy will endure across generations. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, comrades, the ANC Women’s League, the broader Alliance, and the people of South Africa.”
According to the ANC’s website, she was 29 when she joined the ANC, leaving her work as a teacher in protest against Bantu Education.
Shope was elected to Parliament as an ANC MP in 1994.
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