Sonia Bunting’s spirit, carved in history and gold
By: Songo Ngcangca
Our collection is especially privileged to house an Order of Luthuli, awarded posthumously to Sonia Beryl Bunting (1922-2001) by President Jacob Zuma at the National Orders awards ceremony (2010). It is one of South Africa’s highest honours, recognising exceptional contributions to democracy, human rights, nation-building, justice and peace. Named after the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Chief Albert Luthuli, it features a triangular flintstone – a tool of survival – set beneath a rising sun that represents renewal and hope. Surrounding design features include a beaded pot, symbolising African beauty, flanked by bull horns, which indicate power and prosperity. The base has leopard-patterned rings echoing the distinctive headgear of Chief Luthuli. Together, these elements reflect a journey from struggle to freedom, embodied in those who receive the award.
Sonia joined the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) in 1941 as a first-year medical student at the University of the Witwatersrand. By her second year, she decided to give up her studies and dedicate her life to the movement. In 1946, she married Brian Bunting, forming a partnership that would last 55 years, united in love and revolutionary purpose. Together, they moved to Cape Town, where Sonia served as the secretary of the Cape Town Peace Council and finance officer for the CPSA. When the Communist Party of South Africa was banned in 1950 and later re-emerged in 1953 as the underground South African Communist Party (SACP), Sonia became one of its founding members, refusing to allow repression to silence her commitment. In 1951, she represented South Africa at the World Youth Congress in Berlin alongside Ahmed Kathrada, carrying with her the hopes of a people whose voices were being deliberately crushed at home. In 1955, she stood at the Congress of the People in Kliptown and spoke from the platform, helping to shape the Freedom Charter and contributing to the powerful declaration that “All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights.” The following year, Sonia was among the 156 arrested and charged with high treason in the 1956 Treason Trial. She was held at the Fort in Johannesburg for two weeks before being granted bail, later being acquitted in 1958. Even whilst appearing in court, comrades recall she was writing reports on the trial for the weekly Communist Party newspaper. She later endured bans, house arrests and imprisonment during the State of Emergency following the Sharpeville Massacre.
In 1963, she went into exile in London where she continued to play a critical role in the anti-apartheid movement. As Chair of the World Campaign for the Release of South African Political Prisoners, she helped mobilise international pressure during the Rivonia Trial – efforts widely credited with preventing the imposition of the death penalty on Nelson Mandela and his co-accused. “It was the biggest relief of my life when they were sentenced to life” she recalled in an interview with South newspaper in 1990. While in exile, she also ran the only office of the SACP in the world for two decades, coordinated publications such as African Communist and worked tirelessly to amplify the plight of political prisoners and the cause of liberation.
After 28 years in exile, Sonia returned to Cape Town in 1991, continuing her activism by campaigning for the ANC in the ’94 and ’99 elections, remaining active in the SACP, and helping establish the Cape Town Friends of Cuba. She remained a tireless advocate for justice until her passing on 24 March 2001, leaving behind a legacy of courage and dedication.
This Order of Luthuli was generously donated to our museum by Sonia’s granddaughter, Jillian Bunting, creating a direct connection between this artefact, her family and the public. Having the Order of Luthuli in our collection is invaluable. It not only preserves the memory of Sonia Bunting and Chief Luthuli but also offers all of us a tangible connection to history, inviting reflection on the sacrifices and vision of those who shaped South Africa.