Sister Bernard Ncube

Sister Mary Bernard Ncube (; 9 March 1935 – August 31, 2012) was a South African religious sister and anti-apartheid activist. As a religious sister, she often faced criticism from the church over her politics, including her stance on abortion. Because of her anti-apartheid activities, she was often arrested and is probably the first sister to be arrested in South Africa.

Early life and education

Ncube was born on 9 March 1935 on the East Rand of the former Transvaal. She earned a degree in theology from the Roma College in Lesotho and entered the Companions Catholic Order in 1955. She worked as a teacher until 1960. Ncube helped establish the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW). Previously, she had been very active with youth groups in Kagiso. In 1984, she became the president of FEDTRAW. in prison for possessing "banned literature." The item in her possession was a pamphlet published by the African National Congress (ANC), which had been outlawed in South Africa.

In 1986, Ncube was arrested for attending a United Democratic Front (UDF) gathering, and was later let out on a $200 bail on the charge of attending an illegal gathering. Not long after, police with dogs raided her convent and took over 70 documents, many relating to the UDF. In March 1986, a gasoline bomb was tossed into her convent room, fortunately not harming anyone. Later that year, in June, she was detained again and held in solitary confinement for over a year under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act. In 1991, she joined the National Executive Committee of the ANC. She left Parliament in 2002, when she became the mayor of the West Rand Municipality.