Curtis Nkondo

Curtis Nkondo (1 February 1928 – 3 December 2009) was a South African diplomat, school teacher and politician with the African National Congress. Born in Louis Trichardt, Nkondo was a lifelong activist with the ANC. He was a high school teacher at Lamula High School in Meadowlands, Gauteng and eventually became the chairman of the Soweto Teachers Action Committee before being suspended for educating against apartheid. In 1983, he became the Vice President of the United Democratic Front coalition and in 1985, chairman of the Release Mandela campaign which advocated for ANC leader Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Following independence, Nkondo became South Africa's High Commissioner in neighboring Namibia. He died on 3 December 2009.