Issued by African National Congress
26 March 2001
It is our sad duty to inform you of the death on 24th March of our dear comrade, Sonia Bunting. Cde Sonia's life long contribution to the struggle for liberation and transformation forms part of the rich history of the liberation movement.
Sonia Isaacman was born on 9 December 1922 in Johannesburg. After matriculating she enrolled as a medical student at Wits University but in her second year gave up her studies to work full-time for the Communist Party of South Africa. After she married Brian Bunting in 1946, they moved to Cape Town where she continued to work full time in the office of the CPSA as finance officer.
Cde Sonia was an activist of the ANC and in 1955 was one of the speakers at the Congress of the People in Kliptown. She dealt with the section of the Freedom Charter - "All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights".
In 1956 she was one of the 156 activists arrested and charged with high treason and later acquitted. Between 1959 up until the departure of the family in 1963 she endured banning, a three and a half month detention and 24-hour house arrest.
In exile in London from 1963 to 1991, Cde Sonia played an active role in the struggle, through the SACP and the Anti-Apartheid Movement. From 1968 she worked full time for Inkululeko Publications and for over 20 years ran the only office of the SACP in the world.
In 1991, after the unbanning of the ANC and SACP, Sonia and Brian returned to Cape Town where they continued their political work. Sonia was a founder member of the Cape Town Friends of Cuba Society.
Cde Sonia is survived by her husband, Brian, children - Peter, Margaret and Stephen - and nine grandchildren.
The funeral service:
Time: 11:00 - 14:00
Saturday, 31 March 2001
Venue:Maitland Crematoria Hall,
Voortrekker Road, Maitland,
Cape Town
For further details please contact Cde Garth Strachan on 083 454 6667 or fax to (021) 483 3883.