Gert Sibande
Gert Shedrack Sibande (1901 near Ermelo, Mpumalanga – 1987; also known as Lion of the East) was a South African farm worker and anti-apartheid political activist. He was one of the ANC co-accused to stand trial in the treason trial of 1956-61 alongside Nelson Mandela and 154 others.
Gert Sibande | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gert Shedrack Sibande 1901 Ermelo, Eastern Transvaal, South Africa |
| Died | 1987 Manzini, Swaziland |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Occupation | anti-apartheid activist |
| Known for |
|
| Awards | The Order of Luthuli in Gold |
| Nickname | Lion of the East |
Sibande played a critical role in the Potato Boycott of 1959.
The Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga province of South Africa is named after him. He was born in the district and spent a large part of his life there.
He was posthumously awarded the Order of Luthuli in Gold for his exceptional contributions to the improvement of farm workers’ working conditions and his efforts towards a non-racial, just, and democratic South Africa.