On the 25th of August 2015, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Women in Community Engagement Empowerment Projects (WiCEEP) honoured Mrs Florrie Daniels for her 60 years of community building in Westbury and surrounding areas of Johannesburg. On Monday, 31st August, Mrs Daniels passed away peacefully at her home, with close family by her side.
Community Engagement Advisory Board Member Cathy Seeford and granddaughter Nisha Sithole with UJ CE honorary Mrs Florrie Daniels at the Women’s Day event where she was honoured, on the 25th of August 2015.
The women’s day event was the last public platform where Florrie Daniels spoke passionately about communities liberating themselves through strong organisations. Addressing the crowd, she spoke softly saying, “I hope more people will also stand up and do something for one or two people.”
Watch Florrie Daniels at the WiCEEP women’s day event.
The event highlighted Daniels’ activism from the 1950s with projects like operation self-help, the St John’s eye clinic, pre-school education and civic organisations like the Western Residents Action Committee (WRAC). Most of these organisations she helped established was based on her own experiences and her wisdom to mobilise her community to take collective action to resolve challenges they faced as a community. Daniels received wonderful accolades from struggle veteran Mrs Sophie De Bruyn, Community Engagement Advisory Board Member Ms Cathy Seeford, her daughter Sharon Daniels, and eldest granddaughter Nisha Sithole who were by her side in her final days.
UJ researchers from the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT) led by Prof Salim Vally will also be documenting Mrs Daniels’ community work for the Community Library archives under the initiative The Legacy Project. This initiative and others conducted by students and lecturers from the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture (FADA) seek to bring the institution closer to surrounding communities and collaborate on projects that are mutually benefiting.
Mrs Florrie Daniels will be laid to rest this Saturday in Newclare, Johannesburg.
