Elizabeth Adriana Abrahams (19 September 1925 – 17 December 2008)[1] was a South African political activist and trade unionist who participated actively in the struggle against apartheid.
Born in the Paarl Valley area of Western Cape Province, South Africa, she became General Secretary of the Food and Canning Workers Union (FCWU) in 1956, a duty she performed until 1964.
After her retirement, Abrahams remained actively involved in the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), and was in 1995, a year after South Africa's first democratic elections, invited to serve as a Member of Parliament.
[3] The economic climate in Paarl during Abrahams's childhood severely limited job opportunities, and after the death of her father she dropped out of school to work as a seasonal labourer on a local fruit canning factory.
Her leadership was characterised by a strong commitment to the union and an unwavering support for the anti-apartheid movement, which eventually led her to join the African National Congress (ANC).