Sonwabo Eddie finds

Sonwabo Edwin "Eddie" Funde (* 1943 , later Soweto ; † May 22, 2018 ) was a South African anti- apartheid activist and diplomat .

Life

At the age of 20 he joined the African National Congress (ANC). He had to leave South Africa as early as 1965 and went into exile in Lusaka , Zambia . In 1975 he graduated as an electrical engineer in the Soviet Leningrad . For the ANC he worked in Sweden and later in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania in the organization of the ANC scholarship program for young South Africans. He then returned to Zambia as head of the ANC youth department.

In 1983 he joined the ANC's diplomatic service, which appointed him representative for Australasia and the Pacific region. Shortly before Christmas 1983 he traveled to Australia in this capacity , without initially having an apartment, office or money. His wife Nosizwe also came to Australia and worked as an engineer on the New South Wales water supply . With the support of Australian unions, particularly the Building Workers Industrial Union , he managed to open an office in Trades Hall in Sydney . He built a network of activists against apartheid in Australia and New Zealand and was an important lobbyist for the fight against apartheid and the apartheid government of South Africa. Closely related to the finds was the expansion of the ANC support committee chaired by Cliff Dolan and Helen McCue . During this time, many high-ranking ANC representatives also visited Sydney, including the Foreign Affairs Representative Johnny Makatini , ANC President Oliver Tambo , Treasurer Thomas Nkobi , the later Minister of Sports Steve Tshwete , Thabo Mbeki and Gertrude Shope , the then chairwoman of the ANC Women's League . After Nelson Mandela was released from South African custody, Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Albertina Sisulu also visited Australia. The committee organized training courses for many people who later held important positions in South Africa. In addition, cultural events were organized and support was provided for exiles from South Africa in Africa and later for South Africa itself. The Australian Nelson Mandela Foundation was established in 1988 under Fundes Work , whose patrons were then Prime Minister Bob Hawke and his predecessor Malcolm Fraser .

In the 1980s, shots were fired through the front windows of his Burwood home , narrowly missing out on him and his family. The perpetrator was caught and was arrested. The house was temporarily under police protection .

After the end of apartheid in South Africa, he left Australia in 1992 and moved to Johannesburg . There he took over the chairmanship of the South African Broadcasting Corporation in 2004 and held other management positions in South Africa.

In 2008 he became the South African ambassador to Germany . There he suffered an accident that made him quadriplegic . He returned to South Africa and continued to get involved politically and in development work.

He suddenly died of cardiac arrest at the age of 75, leaving behind his wife Nosizwe and two children.

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personal data
SURNAME	Finds, Sonwabo Eddie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Finds, Sonwabo Edwin (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	South African anti-apartheid activist and diplomat
DATE OF BIRTH	1943
PLACE OF BIRTH	Soweto
DATE OF DEATH	May 22, 2018