Elizabeth 'Nanna' Abrahams

Who was Elizabeth 'Nanna' Abrahams?

Elizabeth "Nanna" Abrahams was a South African political activist and trade unionist who participated actively in the struggle against apartheid. Born in the Paarl Valley area of Western Cape Province, South Africa, Liz, as she was affectionately called, became General Secretary of the Food and Canning Workers Union in 1956, a duty she performed until 1964. Her commitment to the struggle brought her close to activists including Elizabeth Mafikeng, Archie Sibeko, Oscar Mpetha and Ray Alexander. She was in 1986 detained for police questioning and subsequently detained for almost three months without trial. After her retirement, Abrahams remained actively involved in the Food and Allied Workers Union, and was in 1995, a year after South Africa's first democratic elections, invited to serve as a Member of Parliament. During the last years of her life, Abrahams received several awards for her contributions to the liberation movement and for her activities on behalf of the rights of the working class.