Meddling Mendel : Jewish immigrant, NP member and detainee attorney (1911 - 2001)

Abstract

This study constructs the biography of an individual as a fragmented subject, Mendel Levin. Mendel Levin was a Latvian-born Jewish immigrant who arrived in South Africa in 1921. He practised as an attorney and represented political detainees and anti-apartheid activists in the late 1960s. He was a staunch supporter and proud member of the National Party. Additionally, he had a record of unlawful behaviour and collusion with the security police during the heyday of the apartheid era. This dissertation utilises Mendel Levin’s biography as a lens through which the social, political and historical landscape of twentieth century South Africa can be viewed. Furthermore, through this biography, a new light is cast on the dubious and underhanded dealings of the Nationalist government during the height of the apartheid regime. The character, life and career of Mendel Levin flies in the face of the accepted narratives and stereotypes of South African Jewish history. Throughout this study, Mendel Levin proves without fail that the exception is not necessarily the rule as he consistently upended accepted norms and standards suggesting a new narrative for an individual with numerous devious and divergent dimensions.