Rubin Phillip

Phillip was involved in the Black Consciousness Movement,[3][6] was a close friend to Steve Biko[7] and was the Deputy President of the South African Student's Organisation in 1972 when Steve Biko was President.[8][9] He was banned - legally excluded from public life - in 1973.[10]

In 2008, Phillip, working with the dockworkers' union, successfully obtained a court order preventing arms shipments destined for Zimbabwe from being transported through South Africa.[11][12] He is chair of the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum in South Africa.[13]

Phillip has been, and remains,[14][6] a strong supporter of the shack dwellers movement' Abahlali baseMjondolo.[1] He has attended meetings, memorials, mass ecumenical prayers, marches and UnFreedom Day rallied hosted by Abahlali baseMjondolo[15] and supported the organisation's successful battle to have the KZN Slums Act declared unconstitutional.[16][17] In September 2009, he condemned the violent expulsion of Abahlali baseMjondolo from the Kennedy Road informal settlement blaming political interference and stating that "this militia has acted with the support of the local ANC structures".[18] He supported the movement through the case that followed the attack.[19]

He was critical of the 2010 Football World Cup saying that: "If we can successfully host a massive event like the World Cup, spending billions, then why can't we provide water, electricity and housing for a handful of shack dwellers?"[20]

In 2013 he expressed solidarity with Abahlali baseMjondolo after the movement was subject to assassinations, a police killing, shootings and arrests.[5]

Phillip was very critical of the police massacre of striking mine workers at Marikana in 2012. At the time he declared that "And so again, the truth of our country is in dead black bodies littering the ground. The truth of our time is that people asserting their rights and dignity have been brought down in a hail of bullets."[21]

He has taken a strong stand against gender based violence.[22]