Dumisani Kumalo

Dumisani Shadrack Kumalo (born 16 September 1947) is a South African diplomat, previously serving as the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations.^[1]

In 1977 he was forced into exile for his anti-apartheid activities and sought asylum in the United States, where he continued to work for South African liberation and democracy. As Project Director at the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) and its sister organization The Africa Fund from 1979 to 1997 he played a key role in the mobilization of U.S. sanctions against apartheid, helping to build the divestment movement which led to 28 states, 24 counties and more than 90 cities and 155 colleges and universities divesting from U.S. banks and companies which did business with apartheid South Africa. He visited almost every state in the union, testifying before state legislatures and city councils and speaking in communities and at countless colleges and universities. Before going into exile he worked as a political reporter for the Golden City Post, DRUM, and the Johannesburg Sunday Times. After the end of apartheid he returned to South Africa and was appointed Director of the United States Desk in the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1997.^[1]

Kumalo was subsequently appointed as South Africa's Permanent Representative to the United Nations; he presented his credentials as Permanent Representative on 21 April 1999.^[1]

He spoke to the United Nations General Assembly on 13 April 2004, encouraging participation of the member nations of the United Nations, on the matter of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

He is on the Advisory Committee of the African Activist Archive Project of the African Studies Center at Michigan State University.

References

1. "NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS", UN Press Release, BIO/3224, 21 April 1999.