Honouring Theresa Solomon: The legacy of Mitchell's Plain's beloved activist

"A great tree has fallen. A baobab has been cut down. Who is going to protect us now from the great African sun? African soil will feel your footsteps no more.”

With these words, Jeremia Thuynsma, executive director of the Mitchell’s Plain Advice Office, paid tribute to revered anti-apartheid activist Theresa Solomon, 79, who died on Monday, July 7.

According to her family spokesperson Neil Cole, Ms Solomon passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family.

“Born in Cape Town in 1945, Theresa dedicated her life to the struggle for justice and equality.

“From organising communities on the Cape Flats to serving as Cape Town’s first black female mayor and later as South Africa’s high commissioner to Tanzania and Canada, her unwavering commitment to social justice uplifted countless lives.

“Fondly known as ‘Com T’, Theresa was a tireless champion of community empowerment and youth leadership.

“She will be remembered for her courage, humility, and love for the people of South Africa,” her family said in a statement.

Expressing the City’s condolences, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said Ms Solomon will be remembered for her dedication to justice and activism, which brought about meaningful change, especially on the Cape Flats.

Mayor Hill-Lewis said she played a pivotal role in establishing civic organisations to campaign for amenities in the wake of forced removals in the 1970’s, including schools, hospitals, and police stations.

"As a mother, activist, and leader, her legacy will continue to inspire future generations," he added.

Ms Solomon’s family said the struggle veteran was especially loved by the people of Mitchell’s Plain, where she lived and worked during the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Mr Thuynsma described Ms Solomon as a community leader of the highest quality who dealt with the challenges that a new Mitchell’s Plain presented like a true mother.

“She ensured that there are schools for the children of a new Mitchell’s Plain, fighting especially for schools in Tafelsig.

“She fought for the council (City of Cape Town) to allow people to pay their municipal bills by month-end, unlike the middle of the month, as it was then and is now again. She fought for a general hospital for Mitchells Plain, and today we have one.

“All this she fought under Woodlands Residence Association, an affiliate of Mitchell’s Plain Coordinating Committee (a United Democratic Front affiliate), which she was the secretary of,” he said.

Mr Thuynsma said Ms Solomon was an active Cape Area Housing Action Committee (CAHAC) member who lobbied for decent housing for everyone.

“She was at one stage chairperson of the Mitchell’s Plain community police forum and joint chairperson of the Mitchells Plain reconstruction and development programme (RDP) forum until she entered Council as mayor

“When she became the first democratically elected black female mayor of the City of Cape Town, she moved to have the issues she fought for outside of government, to be her cornerstone issues in government.

“She ensured that the City start a process of transferring ownership of Council rental houses to their long-time occupiers.

“She ensured that the Olympic Committee delegation visiting Cape Town in lieu of the 2004 Olympic bid visited Mitchell's Plain, and she hosted them at the Woodlands People’s Centre, a place where she spent many a year helping community members as a social auxiliary worker,” he said.

Mr Thuynsma also recalled Ms Solomon’s love for children, and her visiting primary schools and offering her services to help children read in her retirement.

“When she finished her stint as a councillor, mayor, member of the provincial parliament and high commissioner to Tanzania and Canada, she went back to the children,” he added. 

Eastridge resident and Leadwood Seniors’ Club founder, Beaty Roberts, 80, remembers Ms Solomon as a dear friend and fellow activist.

“I met Theresa 40 years ago at the Eastridge Educare Centre. She was the diligent concert organiser and worked with us for a few years.

“We became close friends because of these events, as she was the professional in that regard. She guided us.

“She was living in Woodlands and was a  part of the Woodlands People’s Centre and helped us with our concert and graduation,” she said.

Ms Roberts said her friendship with Ms Solomon continued long after she became mayor and eventually left for Canada.

“We were a group of five ladies that went on a week long holiday to Club Mykonos annually. Every January, the five of us would come together and share a meal at a comrade's house to celebrate.

“Theresa was an amazing woman and a very good example to her peers. Her patience was something that always stood out for me.

“She was soft spoken and kind-hearted. She will be dearly missed by our group, as we always looked forward to getting together, especially for our January celebration. She was also stalwart in her community,” Ms Roberts said.

Michael Jacobs, Lentegeur community police forum chairperson, said Ms Solomon was a kind-hearted and down to earth people’s person despite her high profile public life.

Mr Michael Jacobs said he met Ms Solomon as a young student activist in Lentegeur.

“She lived in Woodlands. We met at one of the numerous meetings she attended. She was a member of our Catholic parish of St Mary Magdalene in Lentegeur and would see her often,” he said.

Echoing the sentiments of others, Mr Jacobs said Ms Solomon served the community of Mitchell's Plain, the City and our country with distinguished service.

“She was a pillar of strength to our communities while serving as mayor and a role model to all of us of what it is to be truly a public servant.

“She will truly be missed. To her family, my sincere condolences and prayers go out to you during this difficult period,” he added.

Jeremy Michaels, trustee of the Mitchell’s Plain Bursary and Role Model Trust said “Com T", as Ms Solomon was affectionately known, was a revolutionary leader and mother to many activists during the dark days of the 1980s.

"The fight against apartheid and all its evils was very difficult, especially with the police hounding activists day and night, but the leadership of Com T and many others only served to strengthen our resolve and ultimately we brought that system to its knees.

"She will always be remembered for being a strong woman who led from the front but at the same time had a unique ability to show us what love and compassion looked like at during a very painful period of our country’s history," he said.

Mr Michaels said she was especially concerned about the youth.

"It was no coincidence that she was one of the founding trustees of the Mitchell’s Plain Bursary and Role Model Trust in 2010, and one of the founders of the Mitchell's Plain Development Action Collective (MPDAC), established in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic to help our community by opening soup kitchens and offering other forms of assistance during that crisis.

"Her life-long activism changed countless lives for the better and her legacy will live on through those of us whom she taught and inspired.

We salute Comrade Theresa Solomon and offer our deepest condolences to her daughter Lee-Anne and the entire family, as well as the community that loved and respected her so much," Mr Michaels said.

 MPDAC spokesperson Chantlé Hoffman said like many others, the organisation mourns the passing of Ms Solomon.

"MPDAC conveys our deepest sympathy to her family, friends and comrades. Your loss is our loss.

"Rest well, daughter of the soil, we salute your tireless dedication and commitment to building a better community and country," she said.

Former Cape Community Media journalist and editor Simonéh de Bruin recalls Ms Solomon as someone who always accommodated community media such as the Plainsman.

Ms De Bruin said even in her high-profile public roles, Ms Solomon would enquire how she could get the paper when she was the South African high commissioner in Tanzania.

"Being the person she was, a community activist with a big heart and a very gracious personality, we had the honour of interviewing her often on a number of community issues. “

I will forever remember her strength, tenacity and her distinctive laugh. We salute her for her bravery, her activism and for her sacrifices to improve the lives of all in Mitchell's Plain and beyond,” she said.

Ms Solomon is survived by her daughter Lee-Anne, son-in-law Oscar, grandchildren Tina-Malaika and Ruiz, and her brother Jerome.