Mary Butcher Turok

Mary Butcher Turok is the wife of the anti-apartheid activist, parliamentarian and Professor Ben Turok, who played a prominent role in the writing of the Freedom Charter.[1] They met at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where they both became involved in progressive politics.[2] Recognized as a white South Africans during Apartheid, Mary and Ben Turok gave up their white privilege to the oppressed masses, in the struggle against the racist National Party’s (NP) policies.[3] Mary joined the struggle against apartheid during the 1950s as a member of the South African Congress of Democrats (COD). As a member of the COD she was sent as a delegate to Cairo, in Egypt, - to attend the All-African People’ Conference, where 69 organizations and political parties from 37 African countries attended.[4] At the All-African People’s Conference she formed a part of the discussions to place economic sanctions against South Africa to pressure the Apartheid regime and promote the introduction of a new democratic Africa.[5] During this conference she also formed a part of the discussions about African unity, the struggle for African independence and the fight against imperialism.[6] Her political activities was not limited to her membership of the COD, since she was also a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP), the African National Congress (ANC) and its military wing, uMkhonto we-Sizwe (MK).

Her political activities came at a cost as her involvement in the illegal ANC resulted in a six month sentence.[7] In 1962 her husband was also imprisoned for three years under the Explosives Act as he left his fingerprint on a bomb he placed after he was recruited to as the head of the sabotage unit of uMkhonto we-Sizwe.[8] Mary supported her husband during this time of political persecution and upon his release warned him that he could be sentenced for another five years.[9] This resulted in Mary and Ben Turok fleeing the country together and spending the next 25 years in exile in various countries, such as England, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia.[10]Due to their exile, Mary and Ben’s children, Neil, Fred and Ivan Turok became exposed to ANC exile and military camps on the African continent and United Kingdom.[11] Their political persecution did not diminish their political activism.

Unfortunately, Mary Turok’s husband passed away at the age of 92 on 9 December 2019. At his funeral Mary’s political activism still shone brightly as she stated during her eulogy to Ben, that she would fight for social justice, democracy and ethics till her death.[12] She finished her speech by indicating that she and her husband joined the struggle as children to achieve a people-centred democracy.[13] Mary Butcher Turok is remembered for her sacrifices during Apartheid and her struggle against racial prejudice and persecution.

End notes:

[1]Author Unknown, “President Mourns Passing of Prof. Ben Turok”, South Africa Times, (Uploaded: 9 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://timessouthafrica.com/2019/12/president-mourns-passing-of-prof-ben-turok/ ↵

[2]Ben Turok, “Ben Turok: A political insider, but not so embedded as to be defensive”, City Press, (Uploaded: 11 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/ben-turok-a-political-insider-but-not-so-embedded-as-to-be-defensive-20191210 ↵

[3]Penwell Dlamini, “ANC mourns its stalwart Ben Turok”, Sowetan Live, (Uploaded: 10 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-12-10-anc-mourns-its-stalwart-ben-turok/ ↵

[4]Author Unknown, “New Call for Action Against SA”, New Age, (Vol 7), (No. 25), (Written: 6 April 1961), (Accessed: 19 2020), Available at: http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AG2887/AG2887-A8-14-001-jpeg.pdf ↵

[5]Author Unknown, “New Call for Action Against SA”, New Age, (Vol 7), (No. 25), (Written: 6 April 1961), (Accessed: 19 2020), Available at: http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AG2887/AG2887-A8-14-001-jpeg.pdf ↵

[6]Author Unknown, “New Call for Action Against SA”, New Age, (Vol 7), (No. 25), (Written: 6 April 1961), (Accessed: 19 2020), Available at: http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AG2887/AG2887-A8-14-001-jpeg.pdf ↵

[7]Author Unknown, “Ben Turok”, South African History Online, (Uploaded: 15 October 2011), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/ben-turok ↵

[8]Author Unknown, “Ben Turok”, South African History Online, (Uploaded: 15 October 2011), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/ben-turok ↵

[9]Ben Turok, “Ben Turok: A political insider, but not so embedded as to be defensive”, City Press, (Uploaded: 11 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/ben-turok-a-political-insider-but-not-so-embedded-as-to-be-defensive-20191210 ↵

[10]Ben Turok, “Ben Turok: A political insider, but not so embedded as to be defensive”, City Press, (Uploaded: 11 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/ben-turok-a-political-insider-but-not-so-embedded-as-to-be-defensive-20191210 ↵

[11]Ben Turok, “Ben Turok: A political insider, but not so embedded as to be defensive”, City Press, (Uploaded: 11 December 2019), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/ben-turok-a-political-insider-but-not-so-embedded-as-to-be-defensive-20191210 ↵

[12]Thuli Madonsela, “Thuli Madonsela: We are a nation of paradoxes”, City Press, (Uploaded: 30 January 2020), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/thuli-madonsela-we-are-a-nation-of-paradoxes-20200130?utm_source=headtopics&utm_medium=news&utm_campaign=2020-01-30 ↵

[13] Thuli Madonsela, “Thuli Madonsela: We are a nation of paradoxes”, City Press, (Uploaded: 30 January 2020), (Accessed: 19 March 2020), Available at: https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/thuli-madonsela-we-are-a-nation-of-paradoxes-20200130?utm_source=headtopics&utm_medium=news&utm_campaign=2020-01-30 ↵