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19 Mar 2010

BOOK SA – Reviews

@ BOOK Southern Africa

James Mitchell Reviews For the Love of Justice: The Autobiography of Leo Lovell

October 23rd, 2009 by Sophy

Leo LovellVerdict: carrot

Leo Lovell was a South African MP who opposed apartheid with the likes of Helen Suzman. Sadly, he died before finishing his autobiography and For the Love of Justice was completed by his daughter, Barbara Brown.

If you ask: “Leo who?”, that may be for one of several reasons.

Lovell became a member of parliament in 1949 – the year the Nationalists won by a bare majority (of seats, not votes) and began immediately to impose their policy of apartheid – and remained a member for only two full terms, representing Benoni for just nine years. It was all over a long time ago.

Secondly, there seems to be a policy of ignoring where possible, and demeaning where not, the contribution made by those who worked without violence to oppose apartheid.

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