The ACTION Support Centre and the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum
Mam’Kwashu during the March for Freedom and Democracy in Zimbabwe, Sandton
The ACTION Support Centre-ASC and the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum-ZSF join with so many others who knew Mam Florence Kwashu in offering our deepest condolences on her passing. We are deeply saddened by her departure and extend our messages of comfort and support to her family, friends and fellow community activists. We have lost a mother, a grand mother, a peace and solidarity activist, a friend, and a profound source of energy and inspiration for community movements.
The ASC and ZSF will always remember her for her significant and lasting contributions to community peace, development and solidarity work. She was also able to connect local struggles with the broader socio-economic and political struggles in Southern Africa and across the continent in particular Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Mam Florence reminded all of us of our common humanity, she lived and breathed the true spirit of Ubuntu.
She was readily available to add value to critical discussions, pickets, marches, and civil disobedience sessions organized by the ASC and ZSF on Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Anti-xenophia campaigns, in fact wherever people needed solidarity, support and the voice of peace, Mam’Florence was there.
Following solidarity visits to Zimbabwe (in which she was denied pass at the OR Tambo airport with food parcels in 2008) and Swaziland (denied access to see activists illegally detained by the Mswati led regime), she played a significant role in stopping the spreading of xenophobic attacks in Soweto. The recent attacks happened at a time when she was gravely ill. Through ‘Operation Khanyisa’ of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee-SECC, she championed the struggles against privatisation of basic services in townships. These will be forever cherished.
Hamba Kahle Qhawe Lethu, Go well our Heroine
Issued by the ASC and ZSF