U-Lilian Masediba Ngoyi wazalelwa ePitoli ngo-1911 emndenini wezingane eziyisithupha, futhi wafunda amabanga akhe aphansi eKilnerton.
Kamuva wabhalisela izifundo zokuqeqesha abahlengikazi, kodwa wagcina ethathe umsebenzi wobungcweti bemishini efemini yezingubo asebenza kuyo kusukela ngo-1945 kuya ku-1956. Wajoyina i-Garment Workers Union (GWU) ngaphansi kukaSolly Sachs, futhi ngokushesha waba ngomunye wayo wabalwa nabanye abaqavile amahamba phambili.
Ehlatshwe umxhwele umoya wamavolontiya e-African National Congress (ANC), wajoyina i-ANC ngesikhathi se-Defiance Campaign yango-1950 futhi waboshelwa ukusebenzisa izinsiza eposini ezazigcinelwe abantu abamhlophe. Amandla akhe kanye nesiphiwo sakhe njengesikhulumi somphakathi kwamenza waqashelwa ngokushesha, kwathi kungakapheli unyaka ejoyine i-ANC wakhethwa njengomongameli wophiko lwabesifazane lwe-ANC.
Ngenkathi kusungulwa iFederation of South African Women (FEDSAW) ngo-1954, waba ngomunye wamasekela-mongameli kazwelonke, kwathi ngo-1956 wakhethwa njengomongameli. Ngo-1955, waya e-Europe njengesithunywa engqungqutheleni eyabizwa yi-Women's International Democratic Federation, wamenywa yizithunywa zeSocialist ukuthi zivakashele eRussia, China kanye namanye amazwe asempumalanga.
Waba yilungu lesigungu esiphezulu se-AN
C eTransvaal kusukela ngo-1955, kwathi ngoZibandlela ka-1956 waba ngowesifazane wokuqala owake wakhethwa ekomidini eliphezulu le-ANC. UNgoyi uphinde wahlonishwa kabanzi phesheya kwezilwandle njengomuntu owayephikisana nobandlululo.
Ekanye noDora Tamana, waboshwa ngesikhathi ezama ukugibela umkhumbi eya engqungqutheleni eSwitzerland ngaphandle kwepasi. Wakhuluma emihlanganweni yemibhikisho emelene nobandlululo ezikhungweni eziningi zomhlaba, okuhlanganisa neTrafalgar Square yaseLondon.
Ngomhla ziyisi-9 kuNcwaba 1956, kanye no-Helen Joseph, u-Rahima Moosa kanye no-Sophia Theresa Williams de Bruyn, wahola imashi yabesifazane yokulwa namapasi eya e-Union Buildings ePitoli, okungomunye wemibukiso emikhulukazi eyenziwa emlandweni waseNingizimu Afrika. Ephethe izinkulungwane zezikhalazo ngesandla esisodwa, uNgoyi nguyena owangqongqoza emnyango kaNdunankulu u-Strijdom ukuze ahambise izicelo.
NgoZibandlela ka-1956, uNgoyi waboshelwa ukuvukela umbuso kanye nabanye abaholayo abangu-156, waquliswa icala kwaze kwaba ngu-1961 njengomunye wabasolwa ecaleni leminyaka emine lokuvukela umbuso. Kuthe kusaqulwa icala futhi umsolwa engaphandle ngebheyili, uNgoyi wagqunywa ejele izinyanga ezinhlanu ngaphansi kwesimo esiphuthumayo sango-1960. Uchithe isikhathi esiningi evalelwe yedwa.
Waqala ukukhishwa imiyalo yakhe yokuvinjelwa ngo-Okthoba 1962, eyamvalela elokishini lase-Orlando eGoli futhi wayenqatshelwe ukuhambela noma yimiphi imibuthano.
Maphakathi nawo-1960s, wavalelwa ngaphansi kwesenzo sokuboshwa kwezinsuku ezingama-90 futhi wachitha izinsuku ezingama-71 evalelwe yedwa. Imiyalo yakhe yokuvinjelwa yaphela ngo-1972, kodwa yavuselelwa isikhathi esisha seminyaka emihlanu ngo-1975.
Ngesikhathi sokuvinjelwa kwakhe, amandla amakhulu kaNgoyi ayecindezelwe ngokuphelele futhi washikashikeka ukuze aziphilise kahle. Owaziwa ngelika-'Ma Ngoyi', wahlushwa yinhliziyo futhi washona zingama-13 kuNdasa 1980 eneminyaka engama-69.