Thoko Remigia Makhanya

South African activist and poet

Occupationsanti-apartheid activist, environmental activist, women's health specialist, poet and translator

Organization(s)United Democratic Front, Biowatch South Africa

Thoko Remigia Makhanya
Occupations	anti-apartheid activist, environmental activist, women's health specialist, poet and translator
Organization(s)	United Democratic Front, Biowatch South Africa
Children	Mondli Makhanya

Thoko Remigia Makhanya is a South African anti-apartheid activist, environmental activist, women's health specialist, poet and translator.

Makhanya was an activist for the anti-apartheid organisation United Democratic Front (UDF).^[1]

In 1993, Makhanya composed the praise poem "A Noble Woman of Africa" in Zulu to honour Nokukhanya Bhengu, the anti-apartheid activist and widow of Albert Luthuli.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] Makhanya had met Bhengu when she had been celebrating her eightieth birthday.^[6] Makhanya has also translated Elizabeth Ncube's praise poem to Mbuya Nehanda from French into English.^[7]

Makhanya later became a health specialist and development practitioner with a focus on women’s development and health.^[8] She volunteered for the PPHC HIV/AIDs group in Durban during the 1990s.^[9]

In 2010, Makhanya joined the board of trustees of the environmental justice NGO Biowatch South Africa, campaigning against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the industrialised food system.^[8]^[10] She was a leader of the GM-Free KwaZulu-Natal campaign,^[11] raised awareness about how the American agribusiness corporation Monsanto, in partnership with the South African Government, were handing out free GM seeds to farmers,^[12]^[13] and has advocated for food sovereignty.^[14] She retired from the board of trustees in 2019.^[8]

Makhanya's son is journalist Mondli Makhanya.^[1]

References

1 2 Anstey, Gillian (13 May 2020). "We're reporters, that's what we are". Good Governance Africa. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ Daymond, Margaret J. (2003). Women Writing Africa: The Southern Region. Feminist Press at CUNY. ISBN 978-1-55861-407-9.
↑ Gagiano, Annie. Women Writing Africa: The Southern Region Review Archived 3 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine. LitNet: African Library.
↑ Narismulu, Priya (2003). "Review of Women Writing Africa: The Southern Region". Feminist Africa (2). ISSN 1726-4596. JSTOR 48724984.
↑ Kindig, Jessie (20 October 2020). The Verso Book of Feminism: Revolutionary Words from Four Millennia of Rebellion. Verso Books. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-78873-927-6.
↑ Daymond, Margaret J. (27 January 2009). Des femmes écrivent l'Afrique: L'Afrique australe (in French). KARTHALA Editions. p. 628. ISBN 978-2-8111-0082-7.
↑ "Panégyrique". ELLAF (in French). 15 October 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
1 2 3 Pelser, Desiré (13 June 2019). "Biowatch celebrates 20 years: Durban celebration". Biowatch South Africa. Archived from the original on 11 April 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ Mbali, M. (29 March 2013). South African AIDS Activism and Global Health Politics. Springer. pp. 12–3. ISBN 978-1-137-31216-7.
↑ Singh, Keisha (26 June 2016). "Sufficient, safe food access is key". Sunday Tribune (South Africa). Retrieved 3 April 2025 – via Pressreader.com.
↑ Carnie, Tony (20 April 2007). "Biowatch challenge heads back to court". iol.co.za. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ Gosling, Melanie (27 August 2003). "Government hands out free GM seeds to farmers". The Mercury (South Africa). Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
↑ The Ecologist. Vol. 33. Ecosystems Limited. 2003. p. 6.
↑ "Podcast: Thokozile Makhanya of Biowatch speaks on food sovereignty, and resisting genetically modified organisms". The African Women's Development Fund. 10 May 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

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