[1] Annie Silinga was born in 1910 at Nqqamakwe in the Butterworth district of the Transkei, now known as the Eastern Cape, where she only completed a few years of primary school.

Silinga grew up in Transkei during a time of prosperity, when the land allowed farming and cattle could graze freely.

At his previous job in the mines of Johannesburg, accommodation was not provided for the families of the mineworkers and regulations forbade women from staying there for extended periods.

[2] After moving to Langa, after World War II, Silinga began attending meetings at which measures to improve conditions for the community were discussed.

LVA sought to fight for the improvement of living conditions in Langa and protect the residents from apartheid laws.

Soon after joining the ANC, she took part in the anti-pass laws in the movement's 1952 Defiance Campaign where she was arrested and served a brief jail term for civil disobedience.

[1] On 9 August 1956, Silinga led 20 000 women organised by FEDSAW who marched to the prime minister's office in Pretoria to protest the issuing of passes.

Besides political work, Silinga is remembered for her selfless character, having started a creche along Winnie Seqwana in Langa Township.