South African Activist Dies

South African activist Ivan Toms died in his home yesterday. Toms was an outstanding soldier in the fight against sexual discrimination and apartheid. He passed away at 55 from meningococcal meningitis. Well known in Cape Town as a gay rights and antiapartheid activist, "he was too young to die," close friend and Democratic Alliance member Robin Carlisle told the News.

Toms attended the South African Christian Leadership Assembly (SACLA) in Pretoria during which he was instructed to set up a clinic in Crossroads, a squatter settlement 15 km outside Cape Town. At the time, the people of Crossroads had no access to health facilities. Together with the Rev David Russell, Toms set up the Empilisweni SACLA Clinic Committee with residents of Crossroads and Rev John Freeth of the St John's Parish, Wynberg, Cape Town. He was the only doctor caring for 60 000 squatters.