Sue Rabkin is a distinguished South African Jewish activist and anti-apartheid veteran. She is a senior member of the African National Congress (ANC) and its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and remains active in South African political and human rights affairs. She is the widow of the late renowned South African revolutionary and anti-apartheid martyr, David Rabkin.
Rabkin and her husband, David, were a prominent revolutionary couple in the South African liberation struggle. In 1976, they were arrested in Cape Town for their involvement in “leaflet bomb” operations to distribute anti-apartheid literature. Sue gave birth to their daughter while in custody before being exiled, while David was sentenced to ten years in prison (later falling in 1985 during military training). Following South Africa’s transition to democracy, Sue held senior positions within the ANC government and currently serves on the ANC’s National Electoral Committee. Her life exemplifies the integration of Jewish moral conscience into the struggle for national liberation.
Sue Rabkin’s pro-Palestine activism is a natural extension of her anti-apartheid spirit. As a key member of Jewish Voices for a Just Peace (JVJP), she maintains that Palestinian freedom is the final piece of the global anti-racist struggle. In November 2023, she joined and co-signed the “Concerned South African Jews” open letter, signed by over 700 South African Jews, which issued an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to military actions against civilians. Leveraging her prestige as an anti-apartheid veteran, she has repeatedly stated that Jews must never support any form of structural discrimination. She actively supports divestment campaigns targeting specific Israeli industries and works to pass the values of transnational justice to the next generation of South Africans.