South African Secularist of the Year 2025

Zackie Achmat is a South African activist, socialist and film director, whose name is synonymous with civil disobedience and tireless work for justice, health and human rights.

Achmat was recruited to the anti-apartheid movement during the 1976 school rebellion, which means that 2026 marks his 50th year of activism.
He is known nationally and internationally for the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), which played a key role in securing access to HIV treatment.

However, his activism is not limited to health matters. He has also helped found movements such as the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality, Equal Education, the Social Justice Coalition, Ndifuna Ukwazi, and #UniteBehind. Zackie has worked across multiple spheres of activism where he has focused on strategic litigation, public mobilisation, and evidence-based advocacy.

For Achmat, equality and justice are not abstract ideals. He has spent five decades actively fighting for them. His track record shows that action doesn’t only mean marching. It means studying, connecting with communities, finding solidarity and improving conditions for everyone.

His work is based on his passion for the rights enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution, particularly among the poor and unemployed.
Although he was brought up in a devout Muslim home, he identifies as an atheist.