REX HEINKE'S VISIT TO TOPSY SA

50 years ago, a young student leader at the University of the Witwatersrand, was expelled by the then government because of his role in opposing apartheid. His name was Rex Heinke and he was given a few days to pack his bags and made to return to his home country, the USA.

Rex went on to carve out a successful legal career on the West Coast.

In more recent years he helped facilitate the registration of the Topsy Foundation US Inc. and is on its Board. This is a small, tax exempt not-for-profit, a main aim of which, like Topsy UK, is to help suppport the work of the Topsy Foundation SA in a rural area of South Africa. This Foundation, almost 20 years old was initially started in response to the AIDS pandemic in that country, now focusing on Early Childhood Development and, of course, Covid-19 effects.

Rex returned to South Africa for the first time in February this year. It was a flying visit, but he was determined to make time to meet some of those working for Topsy SA and to visit the main centre of operations, some 80 miles outside Johannesburg. Rex was full of praise both for the work he saw and for the enthusiasm and obvious dedication of all those he met.