THEIR STORY

Fabian attended school in Lesotho in preparation for priesthood at the Roman Catholic Church, but he later changed his mind and decided to study medicine instead. He completed his medical internship at King Edward Hospital. During this time, Florence completed her teacher’s diploma at Marianhill, where she taught domestic science.

The Ribeiros met in Inkemane, Natal in 1950 and got married in 1956. They lived in Welkom, Free State, where Fabian opened a medical practice and Florence left teaching to pursue entrepreneurship. They settled in Mamelodi, Pretoria in the early 1960s and had one daughter and three sons; namely Barbara-Ann, Joseph, Christopher and Andrew.

Over the years Fabian and Florence helped young people in exile through donations and assisted a number of children in obtaining a good education. They also sheltered and provided safety for victims of apartheid and made generous contributions to their local church.
In an effort to shine a light on the atrocities of apartheid, Fabian recorded as much evidence of police brutality as possible by taking photos of victims who sought treatment.

He also made a series of videotapes that were widely distributed overseas, including the well-known video - ‘Witness to apartheid’.
This led to his imprisonment in 1980, on charges of treason. He was successfully defended by Advocate George Bizos and Justice Dikgang Moseneke.

Florence opened a butchery and enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce degree through University of South Africa (UNISA). Florence was soft-hearted and felt deeply for those who suffered under the apartheid regime. She was intensely committed to the struggle for their liberation.
In the 1960s she was influenced by Robert Sobukwe, who had married her sister, Veronica. He made her acutely aware of the social injustices in South Africa. Together with her husband, she worked tirelessly to empower the community they served. Many saw her as a pillar of strength.

The Ribeiro family suffered because of their commitment to justice. Their house was destroyed in February 1986 when a petrol bomb was thrown through a window on the top floor. The family escaped unharmed.
Florence and Fabian became aware of a number of unsuccessful attempts on their lives and considered leaving the country, but decided to stay in their community and continue to devote their lives to the cause of liberation for their people.

After having survived several attempts on their lives, the couple was tragically gunned down in the courtyard of their home in Mamelodi on the 1st of December 1986.

In 1997 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found that the Ribeiros had been assassinated by agents of the state and amnesty was granted to the killers in 1999 by the TRC Amnesty Committee.