Zackie Achmat
| Zackie Achmat | |
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Achmat at an Open Society Foundation of South Africa event on police accountability in 2013
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| Born |
21 March 1962 Vrededorp, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Alma mater | University of the Western Cape |
| Occupation | Activist, film director |
| Employer | Ndifuna Ukwazi (Dare to Know) |
| Known for | HIV/AIDS activism |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Board member of | Ndifuna Ukwazi (Dare to Know) Equal Education |
| Spouse(s) | Dalli Weyers (m. 2008; d. 2011) |
| Parent(s) | Suleiman Achmat and Mymoena Adams |
| Relatives | Taghmeda "Midi" Achmat (sister) |
| Website | www |
Abdurrazack "Zackie" Achmat (born 21 March 1962) is a South African activist and film director. He is a co-founder the Treatment Action Campaign and known worldwide for his activism on behalf of people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa. He currently serves as Board member and Co-director of Ndifuna Ukwazi (Dare to Know), an organisation which aims to build and support social justice organisations and leaders, and is the Chairperson of Equal Education.
Achmat was born in the Johannesburg suburb of Vrededorp to a Muslim Cape Malay family and grew up in the Cape Coloured community in Salt River during apartheid. He was raised by his mother and his aunt who were both shop stewards for the Garment Workers Union.
He did not matriculate but nevertheless graduated with a BA Hons degree in English Literature from the University of the Western Cape in 1992 and studied filmmaking at the Cape Town Film School.
Achmat set fire to his school in Salt River in support of the 1976 student protests and was imprisoned several times during his youth for political activities. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1980 while serving time in prison. Between 1985 and 1990 he was a member of the Marxist Workers Tendency of the ANC, a Trotskyist breakaway group of the ANC and precursor to the Democratic Socialist Movement.
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