Suresh Kamath

Chair

Suresh is a retired Senior Local Government Officer who worked at Director level in Environmental Services for a London Borough. Apart from managing services, he has particular expertise in contract and project management. Suresh was an activist in the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) from the early 70’s and Vice-Chair of AAM (1986 - 1994). He has been Treasurer of Action for Southern Africa since 1994, and is also Treasurer of the AAM Archives Committee.

With respect to The Liliesleaf Trust UK, Suresh chairs the Project Advisory Group (PAG) and is the Trustee with responsibility for Financial Protocols.

Tony Dykes

In 2021, Tony was awarded the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo, in Silver, for his lifelong commitment to the development of South and Southern Africa, by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tony has considerable experience and knowledge of development in Southern Africa especially including humanitarian programmes, rights, policy and advocacy work and in building effective working relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, from community activists in Southern Africa and the UK to senior public servants and government ministers.

Formerly Director of Action for Southern Africa, successor organisation to the Anti-Apartheid Movement, 2007-2018, Tony was also Head of Southern Africa at Christian Aid, 1993- 2007. As Head of Information and Programmes at World University Service UK (1979-92) he established scholarships at UK universities for those who had to leave apartheid South Africa and ran a major EU funded programme for bursaries in South Africa to support those suffering educational discrimination and disadvantage because of Apartheid.

Tony was a Councillor for London Borough of Camden between 1982-1994, serving as Leader of Camden Council (1986-1990), Deputy Leader (1993-94) and Chair of Policy and Resources (1983-1986 and 1990-93). Tony is currently the Chair of Mecklenburgh Square Garden Committee and Secretary of its Residents Association.

Christabel Gurney

Christabel Gurney – Anti Apartheid Movement Archives Committee (AAMAC) Secretary and Committee Director – is the former editor of Anti-Apartheid News and former activist in the AAM.

She has contributed articles on the history of the AAM to academic journals and co-curated exhibitions at the Museum of London, Islington Museum and the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition at the Southbank (Committee Member).

She also assisted with the development of Anti-Apartheid in Britain as part of Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition 2019. Christabel has created a pop-up exhibition about the AAM and is the content developer of Forward to Freedom, the AAMAC’s digital archive (www.aamarchives.org). As Secretary of the AAMAC, she is responsible for granting copyright agreement for the use of materials held in the AAM archive at the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

She will contribute her extensive knowledge of the documentary resources relating to the wider anti-apartheid movement and contacts with the network of former AAM activists, whose lived experience will form an important part of the resources created by the project.

Lela Kogbara

Lela Kogbara is currently a co-director of Place Matters which seeks to tackle the root causes of social inequity by strengthening and empowering individuals and communities to tackle social and economic injustice and create sustainable, systemic change in critical aspects of their places, including racial injustice. Lela was an anti-apartheid activist from the mid 80s as secretary of Southwark Anti-Apartheid Group, a member of AAM Black Solidarity Committee and on the AAM Executive in its final stages.

Lela has followed through on her commitment to ensure that the lessons of apartheid are learned and its legacy eradicated by being on the board of the AAM successor organisation, ACTSA for 25 years (including as vice chair/chair for 18 years). The PAG provides an exciting opportunity to have a greater impact by collaborating with various organisations on a shared agenda.

Lela is a qualified accountant and have several years of senior experience in the UK public
sector, including as Assistant Chief Executive of Islington Council until September 2016. She therefore brings a range of skills to support The Liliesleaf Trust UK including financial, project management, risk management and community engagement.

Dr Brian Filling

Brian is the Honorary Consul for South Africa in Scotland and Chairs the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation. Founding Chair of the Scottish Committee of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (1976-1994), he is Chair of the successor organisation, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) Scotland (1994-present).

Chair (1994-2010) and Vice-President (until 2020) of Community H.E.A.R.T., Brian supported South African health and education projects, sending over 3 million books to South Africa. Lead organiser of Nelson Mandela’s visit to receive the Freedoms of 9 UK cities at a special, single ceremony in Glasgow, 1993.

Brian’s writing includes The Glasgow Mandela Story (2016), From Colonialism and Apartheid to Ten Years of the New South Africa (2005) and The End of a Regime? An Anthology of Scottish-South African Writing against Apartheid (1991).

Brian co-curated the Dr Peter Magubane photographic exhibition, ‘From apartheid to the Presidency’ (2004) and ‘The Anti-Apartheid Movement in Scotland’ (2018). Brian advises the West of Scotland Development Education Centre (WoSDEC) whose learning resource ‘When Mandela danced in the Square’ (2020) is widely used in Scottish schools.

Brian’s numerous awards include the Republic of South Africa’s “National Order of Companions of O.R. Tambo” (2012), for outstanding solidarity work and lifetime commitment in mobilising international support for the liberation and reconstruction of South Africa.

Glen Robinson

Glen Robinson was involved in the long fight against Apartheid over the many years and came to the UK as a South African political exile in the early 1980’s. He was one of the founder members of the AAM affiliated structure UKAAA (UK Architects Against Apartheid) that was chaired by Peter Ahrends and is a community architect. Glen serves a Trustee of the Donald Woods Foundation, was a committee member of the Nelson Mandela Centenary Committee, and is the Architect who designed both the Oliver Tambo Memorial in Haringey and physically realigned the interior spaces within South Africa House, Trafalgar Square, post 1994 in order celebrate South Africa’s new Democracy.

Glen is particularly interested in supporting the CML project to ensure both proper refurbishment of the physical envelope of the building (to include exhibition, community amenities and workspaces) to generate a long-term economic sustainability for both the resource centre and its audiences and ]communities, contributing to both a safer neighbourhood and a sense of ‘place’ rooted in community through co-design during the development of the project and skill development as an integral part of its programming.

Dr. Elizabeth M. Williams

Dr. Elizabeth M. Williams first came into contact with South African activists while working at the Canon Collins Educational Trust under the leadership of Ethel De Keyser.

Elizabeth studied South African history at postgraduate level in university and came into contact with the British based activist community while working at the Canon Collins Educational Trust under the leadership of Ethel De Keyser.

Elizabeth is a librarian, cultural-historian, author, and educationalist. Currently based at the University of Edinburgh she is head of library academic support across the institution’s network of libraries. An academic, public speaker and conference organiser she is very much engaged in the academic community. Recently she founded and is co-editor of a peer-review historical journal. Elizabeth’s seminal book, The Politics of Race in Britain and South Africa: Black British Solidarity and the Anti-Apartheid Struggle” (pbk 2017), spotlighted the historical interrelatedness of the two countries.

Elizabeth spearheads access to learning resources for young people in Guyana, South America. This project is modelled on similar activity undertaken in Alice, Eastern Cape South Africa. Elizabeth has visited South Africa multiple times including as part of a delegation of British HE professionals assessing HE providers across the country sponsored by the Association of Heads of University Administration. Elizabeth remains passionate about the people of South Africa.

Duwaine Brown

Duwaine Brown is a Senior Local Government Officer with over 15 years experience in finance. In addition to managing services, he has particular expertise in local government taxation and local government property valuation.

He is one of the founding members of the Islington Black History Working [BH365]. Duwaine has collaborated with various esteemed professional speakers and organisations to organise events and sessions around “Challenging Equality” – focusing on celebrating Black History, Culture and associated factors 365 all year round.

Pauline Foster (she/her)

Pauline Foster (she/her) is an Early Years professional, trainer & consultant with over 15 years, expertise in Local Authority Education and SEND. Pauline has extensive personal knowledge around SEND/Inclusive provision and practice and has delivered training to a diverse audience of EY practitioners/professionals. Pauline aims to provide professional, quality support in order to raise the quality of inclusive pedagogy within early year’s settings across the board.

Pauline is one of the founding members of the Islington Black History Working Group, planning holistic and comprehensive events, which celebrates Black History, Culture and associated factors year-round as part of the #BH365 series. Pauline has collaborated with a number of organisations/speakers in order to challenge inequalities in support re-writing the narrative.

Ethel Tambudzai

Ethel Tambudzai is the Founder and CEO of Tambu Group, a boutique consultancy specialising in business strategy, business and business development and governance support.
Ethel is also the Head of Advocacy, Outreach and Engagement for the Black British Business Awards. She is responsible for supporting business growth in service offerings for the BBB Awards ecosystem, policy and advocacy engagement concerning ethnic talent; and building partnerships across Black businesses in the UK.

A trustee of the Africa Centre, Ethel has worked as Global Business Development Associate for Aspire Education Group. An educational consultancy that specialises in advocating for services, and policy change and the consultation of Black and ethnic minority groups. Aspire Education Group has a local impact and global reach with offices in the UK, Germany and Uganda. Ethel co-founded Sonaaar, a diaspora collaboration platform which builds social capital within Black communities.

Anna Njie

Anna Njie is the managing director of ANEMP & CO SOLUTIONS and founder of the Go Africa Cultural Festival and Fashion4Africa project showcase. Currently working in the Health & Social Care industry and as radio host at London Metropolitan University, she is an event management consultant, specialising in international summits and conferences that promote business opportunities for the diaspora: including the 2006 African Union Summit in Gambia and the 2008 International Roots Festival.

For The African Foundation for Development (AFFORD UK) she organised participation in Global Enterprise Week, African Women In Business and the Creative Industries contribution to African Development, to enhance the contribution of the African Diaspora in African Development. Islington resident, Ms Njie has hosted creative programs in the UK and the Gambia and contributed to various media houses including NAW, Black Hair & Beauty, FAB Mag, The Promota Mag, BlackHair Mag, Whytt Mag, The Islington Tribune, The Voice Newspaper and her own column in the Daily Observer Gambia newspaper.

Recent projects include ‘Out of Covid-19 Health Conversations’ for the Mayor of London’s Youth team, Festival of Ideas for the Mayor of London’s Engagement Team and a Community–Led Recovery study for the Mayor of London’s Civil Society Engagement Team.

Colin Charles

Colin Charles is a London based Creative Director and Film Producer. His current project, Oliver Tambo’s London Recruits (working title) is a feature length documentary about young, white activists recruited by the ANC to travel on missions to South Africa as undercover agents.

Colin has a long history in arts and culture, starting at The Caribbean Times, working at ArtRage, intercultural Arts Magazine, the Fred Magazine and Reely super 8 film club, Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s and visuals at warehouse parties. In 1994, Dali Tambo invited Colin to work on a South African TV show. He then worked with Peter Vulndla as a copywriter at Herd Bouys, SAs first black owned advertising agency. Colin worked with Moses Molelekwa, Sipho Gumede and Shaluza Max to promote South African Jazz in townships. For over twenty years he worked between Accra, Lagos, Abidjan and Lome creating Pan (West) African communications for commercial brands and social messaging campaigns such as Adolescent Reproductive Health, Malaria, Polio, and Aids Awareness.

Colin brings experience in marketing, communications and audience insight with sensitivity for African and Diasporan social and cultural concerns. A Creative Director at Africanfuturist Arts Cooperative, Colin is a trained Mental Health First Aider and is key support worker for young people in care.

Steve Marsling

Steve Marsling was one of the London Recruits. He went to South Africa in 1971. In addition, he has co-ordinated and written “London Recruits and the Struggle Against Apartheid”. This teaching resource is available free to all secondary schools and can be accessed via our educational resources page.

Steve also helped agitate for a TUC Youth Congress in late 1960s. He has been a teacher, an NUT rep, and worked as a Senior Sports Advisor for the Greater London Council. He was Assistant Director of Sport and the Arts for the London Borough of Lambeth. Steve was elected a councillor for the London Borough of Southwark and became Chair of the Sports and Arts Committee 1981-84.

He became an art dealer specialising in industrial landscapes and depictions of workers in action.

Bob Newland

Bob Newland first became involved in politics at the age of 15 with The Movement for Colonial Freedom. His anti-imperialist and anti-racist activity continued with The Anti-Apartheid Movement, the AAM.

As an activist in the Young Communist League, he became one of the London Recruits where he carried out clandestine operations for the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa in 1971 and 1972.

After a lifetime of varied political activities Bob is now a member of the Advisory Committee to Action for Southern Africa ((ACTSA), the successor organisation to the AAM.

Nicholas Grant

Nicholas Grant

Nicholas Grant is a historian of the global anti-apartheid movement. His research engages with the fields of African American and Black international history, examining how transnational political and cultural forces have shaped race relations around the world. His work has appeared in the Radical History Review, Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Studies, Palimpsest: A Journal of Women, Gender and the Black International, and the Journal of American Studies. His first book, Winning Our Freedoms Together: African Americans and Apartheid, 1945-1960 was published in 2017 with UNC press.  

Nicholas is particularly interested in collaborating with teachers and schools to develop educational resources that focus on the history and politics of the international anti-apartheid movement. He has also worked with War On Want, launching the ‘Evolution of Struggle’ series that aimed to foster cross-generational dialogues between anti-apartheid activists and contemporary campaigners. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasggrant.