George Bizos - he played many roles!

                                                  George Bizos - he played many roles!

He was a South African man with a Greek heritage, an anti-apartheid activist who represented Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia trial (October 1963 to June 1964) that led to Mandela's conviction and imprisonment on charges of sabotage.

George Bizos, the reknown Greek South African human rights lawyer and social activist died September 9, 2020. This man, who fled "his native Greece as a refugee from the Nazi occupation"  was eulogized by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Special Official Funeral for him. He was remembered as "a man of humility, integrity, and above all as an advocate with a passion for justice."



A report by Rebecca Davis in the Daily Maverick 17 September 2020 said Bizos "lived 92 extraordinay years of life" and was described as "a friend to many and a devoted family man." He was the pre-eminent defense lawyer of the Struggle, yet he was officially stateless for 31 years. Why? - he was a refugee from Greece and the apartheid governemnt of South Africa refused him citizenship on the grounds that he was "not fit and proper."

"Ultimately he was the embodiment of a fit and proper South African citizen," president Ramaphosa said at the service.

Bizos was a humble person, "unflinching" in his commitment to doing the right thing and a person who rejected materialism." He retained a "a great love and loyalty to both countries - Greece and South Africa and wrote two books: "Odyssey to Freedom" (2007) and "65 years of Friendship" (2017).

He was generous and supportive of "those defending freedom and democracy in other countries," Thus he acted for the late Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Bizos' funeral  was held at the Greek Orthodox Church in Johannesburg where, due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, the number of people that attended was limited. At the service the flag of South Africa was draped over the coffin. His body was buried at Westpark Cemetary.

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