Maria Suriano

(she/her)

2

Associate Professor, Department of History, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand

Mothers of Soweto: Vesta Smith (left) with fellow activist and community worker Ellen Kuzwayo. Images courtesy the Smith family

June 14, 2026

Maria Suriano, University of the Witwatersrand

She was a trusted mentor to young militants whose 1976 uprising shaped the country forever.

Walter Bgoya’s passion for reading goes back to the 1950s. But his worldview was shaped in the 1960s. Author provided

July 5, 2023

Maria Suriano, University of the Witwatersrand

Despite a succession of different challenges, Bgoya’s approach has been consistent.