7 August 2019
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape Province celebrates and sends great birthday wishes to Comrade Norman Levy and Comrade Leon Levy on reaching their 90th birthday today, 7 August 2019.
Born in Johannesburg in 1929 to Mary and Mark Levy, immigrants from Lithuania, they both dedicated their lives to fighting against colonialism and apartheid in South Africa. After the unbanning of the SACP and the African National Congress in 1990, they continued to make important contributions to the national democratic revolution, serving the working class selflessly.
Both Comrade Norman and Comrade Leon became activists in their early teenage years, joining and participating in the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) and by the age of seventeen were actively participating in the SACP – then called the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA).
Due to their involvement in the struggle for freedom and following the passing of the Suppression of Communism Act of 1950 and the resultant banning of the SACP, they were arrested in December 1956 and detained at the Old Fort in Johannesburg together with 154 others. They were charged with high treason, but eventually acquitted along with 61 others in December the following year.
Comrade Norman Levy
A teacher by profession, Comrade Norman was among the participants in the 1952-1953 defiance campaigns and fought against the introduction of Bantu Education. He set up cultural clubs as an alternative to Bantu Education, contributing to the boycott of Bantu Education and at the same time giving access to quality education to black children.
In April 1954, he assisted in the conference which ultimately led to the formation of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW). The apartheid regime later imposed the 90-day detention law on him in 1964. He effectively spent 54 days in solitary confinement in Pretoria Local Prison where he was repeatedly interrogated over three sessions of “standing torture” lasting 102 hours.
In April 1965, after a prosecution which pitted another SACP struggle stalwart Comrade Bram Fischer and thirteen other comrades, Comrade Norman was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment. The apartheid government banned him from work, meetings, participating in politics and social gatherings and was thus unable to attain employment after his release.
After his release on 11 April 1968, Comrade Norman was thus forced to take his family and go into exile to the United Kingdom.
While in exile, Comrade Norman continued to engage in the struggle, linking up his work with the movement. He lectured in England and as part of the ANC’s London Education Committee raised scholarships for exiled members of the movement and represented the SACP in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), among other tasks. He later became the Chairperson of the South African Communist Party's (SACP) Committee for the United Kingdom and Europe, a position he held until 1991.
Upon his return in April 1991, Comrade Norman helped design affirmative action frameworks for the Labour Relations Forum of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa). He was appointed by Comrade Nelson Mandela in 1996 to the Presidential Review Commission (PRC).
In its 3rd Special National Congress in 2015, the SACP bestowed upon Comrade Norman the Moses Kotane Award in recognition of selfless service, absolute dedication to the SACP and the working class struggle for socialism and for his tireless efforts to the Congress Movement.
Comrade Leon Levy
Along with his twin brother, Comrade Leon suffered repeated banning orders under the apartheid regime. He was secretary of the South African Peace Council from 1951 to 1961 and a member of the South African Congress of Democrats.
Comrade Leon formed part of the group of comrades who worked towards the formation of the first non-racial trade union federation in South Africa, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), in 1955 and was elected its founding president, holding the position until 1964. As president of SACTU, he became one of the signatories of the Freedom Charter which was adopted at the Congress of the People in Kliptown, Soweto, in 1955.
Comrade Leon was one of a large group of activists arrested after the declaration of the state of emergency in 1960. In 1962 his banning orders were extended to the prohibition of the publication of any of his writings and statements, and his presence in any African township, compound or hostel.
The apartheid regime subjected Comrade Leon to a period of solitary confinement, and after that forced him to go into exile to the United Kingdom in 1963, following his arrest under the 90-days without trial law. In the United Kingdom, Comrade Leon also continued to contribute to the struggle against apartheid. He participated in many industrial relations while there.
Upon his return to South Africa, he contributed to Cosatu’s submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on business and apartheid. He has published several works relating to trade unions and labour relations issues.
SACP honours Comrade Norman and Comrade Leon, calls for the intensification of the struggle for socialism
The SACP in the Western Cape Province calls for the intensification of the struggle against capitalism, for social emancipation. The racial segregation which continues unabated under the leadership of the Democratic Alliance must be combatted by continued activism by the working class from all races.
The SACP in the Western Cape will organise an event during the month of August where its membership will celebrate the lives of the Levy Twins and thank them for their contribution.
Issued by SACP Western Cape Province
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
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