Gladys Nozuko Thomas

Names: Gladys Nozuko Thomas

Born: 25 August 1976 Cape Town

In summary: Community Leader, Human Rights and Gender activist.

Gladys Thomas was born in Western Cape during the uprising of black youth movement in South Africa. Ms Thomas is the first of five children and their upbringing was not ordinary, and certainly unlike that of most contemporary coloureds. Her mother, Nomntu Eunice, was an ordinary Xhosa woman, but she converted to coloured culture. In the early 60’s her parents relocated from Kensington to Guguletu and from there to Khayelitsha in 1981.

Her biological father, Casper, was born in South Africa. Gladys also came from a large extended family. It was a small household that reflected a strong Xhosa, Afrikaans,Tswana and Sotho a background of first generation her family struggling to survive in a racist society. Gladys step- father Jacob Thomas presided over his large extended family in a liberal atmosphere one highly conscious of racial discrimination and the international struggle against colonialism. Many of the men in Gladys’s extended family played leading roles in the African Nation Congress.

From a very young age Gladys started doing odd jobs to support herself into further her studies. She learned the power of spoken word at an early age, and over the years she developed a strong command support in various community movements.

Becoming an Activist

Gladys activism started early in 2006, when she turned 30years old, she helped to raise voices for Khayelitsha Youth, Sanele Backyarders in Khayelitsha , doing research and finding solutions for the project at the time. She was fighting for RDP housing though short and petite, Ms Thomas became a powerful public figure. She is strong willed and energetic. These characteristic