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Victoria Nonyamezelo Mxenge was born 1 January 1942 in Tamara Village in King William’s Town. Although a freedom fighter within her own right, the story of Victoria is bonded with that of her husband, Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge, whose statue is beside hers. Victoria Mxenge after completing her high school went on to become a nurse after graduating from Victoria Hospital in 1964. The year of 1964 represents an exciting time in her life: “In the same year, she moved to KwaZulu-Natal soon after she had married Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge who was studying for a law degree at the University of Natal.” Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge, after obtaining his degree, opened a law firm where he became prominent in pursuing cases and justice for black anti-apartheid activists. Victoria Mxenge in her own right excelled at her profession: “After completing her midwifery studies at the King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, she joined a local clinic in Umlazi as a nurse.”
Tragedy struck this couple as Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge was assassinated in 1981, a bittersweet year as it was also the year in which Victoria Mxenge obtained her law degree from UNISA. After her husband’s assassination, Victoria kept the law firm going and became an activist in her own right, being recognised as a human rights lawyer and political activist. Victoria’s activism only gathered pace: “She became a member of the Natal Organisation for Women an affiliate of the United Democratic Front (UDF).” She also became a prominent citizen within KwaZulu-Natal, becoming a, “beacon of light for the people of KwaZulu-Natal, including the youth, students and members of other political formations.” Her life was however to cut short, “Mrs Mxenge was brutally murdered in front of her children on the driveway of her home in Umlazi.”
The statue of Victoria Mxenge is: “TO restore and preserve South African history, the KwaZulu-Natal Government and eThekwini Municipality unveiled statues of late anti-apartheid activists Griffiths and Victoria Mxenge on 20 August in uMlazi, south of Durban.”References
‘Opening and Welcoming Remark by Mayor Zandile Gumede at Memorial Lecture of Griffith and Victoria Mxenge at Umlazi Cinema – 18 August 2017,’ Available from: http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Government/mayor_council/speeches/August%… accessed 13 May 2021.
‘Griffiths and Victoria Mxenge honoured,’ Available from: https://www.durban.gov.za/Resource_Centre/new2/Pages/Griffi-ths-and-Vic… accessed 13 May 2021. 
‘Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge and Victoria Nonyamezelo,’ Available from: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/national-orders/recipient/mlungisi-grif… accessed 13 May 2021.