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Braam Hanekom, whose English name is Abram Hanekom, is a Zimbabwean-born South African refugee rights activist. He is named after Bram Fischer and is the son of Kallie Hanekom and Professor Jennifer Jelsma. He was born on 5 February 1984, in Harare, into a family with strong links to the African National Congress during the time of apartheid in South Africa. His uncle Derek Hanekom and aunt Trish Hanekom spent three years in jail for their involvement in the African National Congress during his childhood. He left Zimbabwe after leaving school to assist the Movement for Democratic Change in their 2002 presidential campaign. He then moved to Cape Town, South Africa where his family lives. His childhood in Zimbabwe strongly influenced his views on refugees and he is fluent in Shona. He is a founding member and the current director of PASSOP. He is an activist in the fight for the rights of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. He writes a weekly column for a newspaper the zimbabwean. During the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008 he was arrested four times for different protest actions; in three of the four arrests charges were withdrawn by the state. He is settled with the South African Police Service for an undisclosed amount after suing them for unlawful arrest and failure to comply with procedures. During the same period he was instrumental in exposing the crisis at refugee centres in South Africa. He remains an active member of the ANC, but a strong critic of government shortcomings. He has been a victim of xenophobia. He was awarded the 2008 Inyathelo award for youth in philanthropy. In 2009 he was elected onto Cape Town TV's Board; he currently serves on the board with civil society representatives from COSATU, SWEAT and Workers World among others. In 2011 he was chosen by the mail and guardian as one of its 200 young South Africans.
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