Helen Suzman, 1917–2009 was a white South African member of Parliament representing Capetown. She came from a Jewish English background and was the leader of the Progressive Party which was the opposition to the Nationalist party that had established the Fascist style Aparteid government where the 10% white population dominated and ruled the 90% black and Asian population. When all the other progressive MPs lost their seats, Suzman was the only member of the South African Parliament who totally opposed the racist apartheid of South Africa. She had little power to change or block Apartheid laws being only a single MP, but her eloquence and vigorous verbal demand for freedom and equality for blacks provided a focal point for foreign boycotts to produce change in South Africa. However, she did not publicly advocate revolution and violence. As a result most of the militant blacks did not value or even follow her activities to end apartheid, and many had no idea who she was. However, Mandela, imprisoned on Robin Island at the time, not only followed her activities, but sent frequent compliments and notes of encouragement to white opponents of the government and apartheid even though many did not support the armed violence that had become necessary to produce change. Mandela knew that there would be core of a white leadership that would favor one-man-one-vote which would make South Africa a black-dominated government when the apartheid Nationalists could be defeated. Mandela was like a great chess player playing a current game but thinking 5 and 6 moves in advance even while in prison. Suzman was one of Mandela’s leading white supporters after the regime change.
