Veteran journalist and author Ruth Weiss, whose century-long life was dedicated to exposing injustice and chronicling liberation struggles, has died at the age of 101, officials confirmed on Friday. Born in 1924 in Fürth, Germany, Weiss fled Nazi persecution with her Jewish family and resettled in South Africa, where she witnessed and later challenged the cruelty of apartheid. Her personal history — spanning Nazi Germany, exile in Africa, and post-war Europe — shaped a career defined by fearless reporting and advocacy for equality.
Weiss began her journalism journey in South Africa, initially ghostwriting for her husband before establishing her own reputation as a sharp, uncompromising correspondent. Declared persona non grata by both South Africa and then-Southern Rhodesia, she worked for The Guardian in London and later returned to Africa, contributing to the Times of Zambia, the BBC, and Reuters. Her coverage exposed systemic racism, economic exploitation, and sanctions evasion, placing her at the forefront of documenting liberation movements across the continent.
A respected figure among African leaders, Weiss counted Nelson Mandela and Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda, among her acquaintances. Kaunda nicknamed her “Comrade Ruth,” praising her solidarity with Africans’ fight for freedom. Her role at the Zimbabwe Institute for Southern Africa helped foster dialogue between Black and white South Africans during apartheid’s darkest years, cementing her legacy as more than just an observer but also an active participant in shaping democratic futures.
International recognition followed. In 2005, Weiss was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of a collective of women peacebuilders, and in 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa awarded her the Order of O.R. Tambo for her contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle. Despite such honors, Weiss remained modest, insisting she only did what she could “given her circumstances.” She continued writing into her later years, producing memoirs, fiction, and children’s books, while also serving as a sought-after speaker on antisemitism, racism, and the violence she witnessed firsthand.
Remembered for her compassion, humility, and determination, Weiss described herself as a “perpetual outsider,” yet her work bridged nations and movements. Her lifelong battle with words earned her the reputation of having “waged war with her typewriter,” a fitting tribute to a woman whose pen became a weapon against injustice.
