How We Began
COSAS was co-founded in 1993 by N.T. Naicker, a hero and stalwart freedom fighter in the South African struggle. Naicker was a lawyer who devoted himself to the struggle as a leading member of the South African Indian Congress. He was a signatory of the 1955 Freedom Charter, leading to his arrest as one of the 156 leaders detained in December 1956, in what became known as the infamous “Treason Trial.” As an attorney, Naicker went on to assist in the defense of Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters. After years of further arrests, imprisonment and banning, Naicker was forced into exile, settling in Sacramento, CA in 1985. Naicker understood that the struggle for the implementation of the Freedom Charter didn’t just end with the end of apartheid and saw that an organization was needed in the United States to support the continuing fight for the goals of the Freedom Charter in South Africa. Naicker was the first President of COSAS. He died in 2003 at the age of 80.
Purpose
Committee for South African Solidarity (COSAS) was born out of the effort to realize the aims of the Freedom Charter and continue what had begun with the ending of apartheid. Much like the U.S. civil rights struggle to end discrimination in the South, certain political freedoms have been attained, but economic equality remains unrealized by millions of South Africa’s people. COSAS volunteers have worked to establish a base from which to build support for the implementation of the Freedom Charter.
Who We Are
COSAS is an all-volunteer membership organization of South Africans, students, professionals, clergy and other concerned citizens. We banded together to build organization to counter the climate of disinformation in the U.S. and Western media about the real nature of changes taking place in South Africa and the continent.
What We Do
COSAS publishes South African BEACON to tell the true story of post-apartheid South Africa and counter the mainstream Western media. COSAS’ Solidarity Campaign has shipped thousands of pounds of school supplies benefiting over 30 schools in Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, North West and Western Cape provinces and seven schools in Tanzania.
Volunteers are always needed to get involved in the writing, designing, publishing and distributing of our newsletter.
COSAS ships donated supplies to South African schools as an act of international solidarity.
According to Statistics South Africa, the population was over 63 million in 2024, making it the sixth most populous country in Africa after Tanzania.