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ANC veteran Ben Turok has died

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African National Congress (ANC) veteran and former parliamentarian Ben Turok has died. Turok passed away on Monday morning; he was 92-years old.

Turok’s family has described him as a outspoken person who dedicated his whole life to fighting for freedom, equality and social justice in South Africa.

In a statement released by the family, they say: “Turok was a loyal, lifetime member of the ANC, but retained an independent perspective throughout. He asked for his death to marked by a private ceremony, rather than anything official or formal, in view of the present predicament facing the country. His wisdom and counsel will be sorely missed.”

Born in Latvia on 26 June 1927, Turok came to South Africa as a child in 1934 with his parents. During apartheid, he became a full time organiser for the Congress of Democrats (COD) and helped plan the Congress of the People in 1955.

A year later, he was one of the accused in the 1956 Treason Trial. He became national secretary of the COD in 1958, and served for a period as secretary of the consultative committee of the congress alliance. His wife, Mary Butcher, was also a prominent member of the COD and later served a six-month sentence for aiding the then illegal ANC. In 1960, Turok evaded arrest and went underground to help re-establish the COD.

In 1962, he was convicted under the Explosives Act and was sentenced to three years in prison (1962-1965). After escaping from the authorities, Turok fled to London where he lived in exile for 25 years. He returned to the country in 1990.

Turok has taught at the Open University in the UK as well as the University of Zambia. He was also the Editor of New Agenda since 2000.

He is also the founder of the Institute for African Alternatives in the UK and Africa.

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