Fighting For Justice

A tireless campaigner's captivating journey against ApartheidFighting for Justice is a gripping account of the life of Jay Naidoo, a tireless anti-apartheid campaigner and the first General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), South Africa's largest union federation and the backbone of the internal mass struggles against apartheid.From Jay's roots in a distant village in India to his fierce engagement with global issues of social justice, this captivating autobiography recounts the humbling story of a man from a working-class family living with the cruel realities of apartheid. It details his life-changing encounter with Steve Biko, involvement in student, community, and national politics, and the painful personal choices he has had to make, including his intercontinental love affair with French Canadian writer Lucie Pagé.Weaving a tale of intrigue, pain, and triumph, Fighting for Justice chronicles the uncompromising terrain of political and social activism as issues of race, language, and culture collide.

Jay Naidoo devoted years of unwavering commitment to Cosatu before leading twenty of its unionists into parliament. He was asked by Nelson Mandela to be the Minister responsible for the Reconstruction and Development Programme before serving as Minister of Communications. In 1999 he established the investment and management company, J&J Group. He remains committed to social justice, serving as Chairman of the Development Bank of Southern Africa and of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. Married to Lucie, Jay considers his three children, Shanti, Kami and Léandre, his greatest achievement.