Bennie Khoapa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bennie Khoapa was a social worker in South Africa during the 1960s and 1970s involved in the resistance to apartheid. He worked for the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), and was supportive of the young activists of the time, especially the young Steve Biko. At various functions that Khoapa put on in conjunction with the YMCA, Biko convinced Khoapa to join him in founding the Black Community Programmes, and ultimately the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM). In the movement, Khoapa was able to use his experience and connections to garner the support of various Christian organizations, and lend the BCM crucial credibility in its formative months. Khoaba was among those banned by the South African government due to their actions in the anti-apartheid movement, but today he is vice chancellor of Technikon Natal.