The African patriots, the story of the African National Congress of South Africa PDF
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The African patriots, the story of the African National Congress of South Africa http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.crp3b10002 UseoftheAlukadigitallibraryissubjecttoAluka’sTermsandConditions,availableat http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp.ByusingAluka,youagreethatyouhavereadand willabidebytheTermsandConditions.Amongotherthings,theTermsandConditionsprovidethatthe contentintheAlukadigitallibraryisonlyforpersonal,non-commercialusebyauthorizedusersofAlukain connectionwithresearch,scholarship,andeducation. ThecontentintheAlukadigitallibraryissubjecttocopyright,withtheexceptionofcertaingovernmental worksandveryoldmaterialsthatmaybeinthepublicdomainunderapplicablelaw.Permissionmustbe soughtfromAlukaand/ortheapplicablecopyrightholderinconnectionwithanyduplicationordistribution ofthesematerialswhererequiredbyapplicablelaw. Alukaisanot-for-profitinitiativededicatedtocreatingandpreservingadigitalarchiveofmaterialsabout andfromthedevelopingworld.FormoreinformationaboutAluka,pleaseseehttp://www.aluka.org The African patriots, the story of the African National Congress of South Africa Author/Creator Benson, Mary Publisher Faber and Faber (London) Date 1963 Resource type Books Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Source Northwestern University Libraries, Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies, 968 B474a Description This book is a history of the African National Congress and many of the battles it experienced. The author, Mary Benson, is a South African who was herself committed to the work of the ANC and thus aiding in the collection of many important documents used in the study. Format extent 318 pages (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.crp3b10002 http://www.aluka.org 1~I&~ 1~I&~ L~ i2 '2 ~ i ~ 2 '4 '4 ''4 4flo ~ <<VK,''0 0<' 12 i 02 4 ~'00v TheAfricanPatriots bythesameauthor . TSHEKEDIKHAMA inpreparation ALBERT LUTULI (OxfordUniversityPress) The,.African Patriots THESTORYOFTHE AFRICANNATIONALCONGRESS OFSOUTHAFRICA MARYBENSON FABER AND FABER 24RussellSquare London FirstpublishedinmcmlxiiibyFaberand FaberLimited 24RussellSquare,London W.C.i PrintedinGreatBritain byEbenezerBaylis and Son Limited TheTrinityPress, Worcester,and London Allrightsreserved @MaryBenson 1963 In MemoryofChristopherGell NKOSISIKELEL' I-AFRIKA ComposedbytheXhosacomposerEnoch Sontongaanda missionaryat Lovedale CollegefortheAfrican National Congressin I912 TranslatedbyTodd Matshikiza NKOSISIKELEL' I-AFRIKA MALUPHAKANYISW'UPHONDOLWAYO YIVANEMITHANDAZOYETHU NKOSISIKELELA NKOSISIKELELAYIZA MOYAYIZA MOYA OYINGCWELE NKOSISIKELELATHINALUSAPHOLWAKHO LORDBLESSAFRICALETITSHORN(ofhope)BERAISED LISTEN ALSO TOOUR PLEAS LORDBLESSLORDBLESSCOMESPIRITCOMESPIRITHOLYSPIRIT LORDBLESSUsTHY CHARGE Thepassiveresistancein SouthAfrica'isthe mostimportantactivitytheworld canatpresenttakepartin,andinwhichnotChristendomalonebutallthepeoples oftheearthwillparticipate.' TOLSTOY-lettertoGandhi,191o Acknowledgments THISisacommittedbook.Duringthe yearspentinhistoricalandpersonal researchinSouthAfricaIfounditimpossiblenottobecomeengagedbythe spirit oftheAfricanNationalCongress.Iamproudthatsomeofitsformerleaders and members aremyfriends. Therearemanypeoplein SouthAfrica-politicians, academics,clergymen, journalists,lawyers,doctors,housewives,secretariesand clerks-whohavebeen mostgenerousinhelpingwiththebook.Becauseofthe lawsunderwhichtheycouldbevictimized Iamnotthankingthemindividually. ButiftheyshouldreadthebookIhopetheywillknowhowdeeplygrateful Iam. Evenatthetimeofinterviewingthemsomeofthesubjects werebeingpersecuted. Imustaddparticularthanks tothosewhosoquicklyand excellentlyrepliedto letters.OnedayIhopeto thankthemallpublicly. ToColinLegum Iowealargedebtforinvaluableadviceonthemanuscript. MargeryPerham,Phyllis RandoneandAnthonySampsonencouraged me with theirsuggestions.Iamgratefulto'Rusty'Bernsteinfortheuseofrecordsonthe MineStrikeandto Mrs. E.BinyonandCyrilDunnfornotesoncertainincidents. ParticularlyIthankEli Weinbergforhispictures. Iwas persuadedintowritingthisbook. Icouldthinkofseveralwritersbetter equippedtodoit,butitwas clearlyurgentbothto getpeople'sreminiscences aboutwhathappenedfiftyyearsago andtodothenecessaryresearchbeforethe SouthAfricanGovernment'sextendingtyrannypreventedthis-the'SabotageAct', whichwaspassedjustaftertheresearchwascompleted,wouldcertainlyhave madethings moredifficultthantheexistingrestrictions.Policeraidsover many years haveofcourseremovedmuchofthewrittenmaterialthatmusthave existed-indeedas Iwadedthroughsomeofwhatstillremains,Isometimes felt gratefultotheSpecialBranchthattherewasnot more! Acknowledgments Ionlywishthestorycouldhavementionedfar moreofthethousandsofpeopleof allraces whostruggleso indomitablyforfreedomandjusticeinSouthAfrica. Contents MapofSouthernAfricashowingplaces mentioned inthebook page13 NamesofLeadingOfficersoftheCongress 15 Prologue188o-191o:Trends andAttitudes 17 I I910-I912:TheFoundation 25 II 1912-1918: Land and Loyalty 32 VIII 1918-1924: PassiveResistanceand Missed Opportunities 42 IV 1924-1929:Philosophies onTrial 54 V 1930-1935:TheDepressionandDivisions 68 VI1936:Honourable Trusteeship 78 VII 1936-1940: SilverJubileeandBeginningsof Revival 85 VIII1940-1943:ReorganizationataTimeof Ferment 95IX 1943-1944:The Youth League 102 X 1944-1946:African Claims 113 XI1946:The Indians LeadtheStruggle 119 XII1946:TheGreat MineStrike 124 XIII1946-1948:African Internationalismvs.AfrikanerIsolationism 138 XIV 1948:NationalismBreedsNationalism 149 /XV 1949-1951:TheProgrammeofAction 16o vXVI1952:TheDefianceCampaign 175 XVII 1953:Aftermath 193 XVIII1954:Talkof Freedom 204 XIX 1955-1956: WomenUnder Way 217 9 XX XXIXXlIXXlII Contents 1956-1957:Treason?-andDecline page232 1958:Isms and Fragmentation 240 1959:ResurgenceUnder Lutuli 254 I96O:AfricaYearinSouthAfrica 267 EpilogueI1961:Verdict ontheA.N.C. 273 II1961-1963:An IndestructibleSpirit 285SourceBooks 296 Index 297 Illustrations iaThe Founder-PixleykaIzakaSeme facingpage64 ibThefirstPresident-TheRev.John L.Dube.Eli Weinberg 64 icTwiceaPresident-the Rev.Z.Mahabane(in196o) 64id'Founder'ofthe ModernA.N.C.-Dr.A.B.Xuma 64 2a1919DeputationtoVersaillesand London- 65 Back:J. L. Gumede,L.T.Mvabaza,R.V. Selope Thema Front:SolomonPlaatje, Rev.H.Ngcayiya 2b1942DeputationtoDeputyPrimeMinister 65 Back:Z.K. Matthews,R.G.Baloyi,A.J. Sililo, R.H.Godlo Front:T. M.Mapikela,J.A.Calata,A.B.Xuma, E.Qamata Apicturefor whichCanonCalatawas sentencedseep.286 FOUNDERSOFTHEYOUTHLEAGUE 3a WalterSisulu.Eli Weinberg 8o 3bAnton Lembede 8o 3cOliverTambo.Eli Weinberg 80 3dNelsonMandela.Eli Weinberg 80 4aGertSibandeandhisfamilyfromBethal 81 4bJ.B.Marks, PresidentofMine Workers.Eli Weinberg 814cMoses Kotane backfromBandung1955.Eli Weinberg 81 THEDEFIANCECAMPAIGN 5aVolunteers are called for-Walter Sisulaspeaking.Eli Weinberg 176 5bThePledge-r.to1.Dr.J.S.Moroka,Dr.Y.Dadoo, W. Sisulu,Y.Cachalia-seep.177.Eli Weinberg 176 Illustrations 6a WomenDefiers arearrested facingpage177 6bNatalleader-M.B.Yengwa '77 6cPort Elizabethleader-Dr.J.N.Njongwe '77 SOPHIATOWN PROTESTS 7aChiefLutuli LeadsA.N.C.Procession.NewAge 192 7b Fr.HuddlestonwithRobertResha(darkcoat)andIda Mntwana(beret).Eli Weinberg 192 CONGRESSOFTHEPEOPLE 8aTheCrowd Listens.EliWeinberg 193 8bTheirDesires.Eli Weinberg 193 9aThe Women HoldaMeetinginOrlando.NewAge 240 9bTheTreasonTrialOpensinJohannesburg-BishopReevesintheCrowds 240 IoaLilianNgoyi.Eli Weinberg 241 iob FlorenceMatomela. Eli Weinberg 241 iocACommonOccurrence.Argument withthePoliceJoe MatlouofYouth League.Eli Weinberg 241 iiaAccusedofTreason-Prof.Z. K.Matthews and Chief Lutuli 256 iibPotatoBoycottBegins.NewAge 256 12aTheAuthorwithNelsonMandela 257 I2bChief LutulireceivingtheNobelPrize.NorskT.B. 257 J W-..; ýj. **~***6- %L El ...........................* / <tlf)*1 *. I NAMESOFLEADINGOFFICERSOFTHECONGRESS SINCE I912 PRESIDENT-GENERALTheRev.JohnL.DubeS.M.MakgathoTheRev.Z.R. MahabaneJ. T.GumedeDr.P.kaI.SemeTheRev.Z.R.MahabaneDr.A. B. XumaDr.J.S. MorokaChiefA.J.Lutuli SECRETARY-GENERAL SolT.PlaatjeR.V.SelopeThemaE. MochochokoT.D.MweliSkotaHalley PlaatjeTheRev.Elijah MdolombaTheRev.James A.Calata WalterM.Sisulu OliverTamboDumaNokwe Prologue 1880-1910:Trendsand Attitudes A ferahundred years ofwarandskirmishesthetribesin SouthAfricahad finallygivenintotheEuropean invaders;succumbingnotonly totheirsuperiorweapons buttotheirbeguilingideas.FromI88o,therefore, Africansbegantoworkwithinthemodern frameandtothinkintermsofpolitical ratherthan militaryaction.ThefirstAfricanpoliticalassociation-theImbumba YanaAfrika(UnionofAfricans)-was formedintheEasternCapeintheearly I88o's;atthesametime,incidentally, as Afrikaners formedtheirfirstpolitical party,theAfrikanerBond. Lookingback,itispossibletoseetheemergenceof twocontrarytrends-Africans,deeplyinfluencedbytheteachingsofVictorian humanitariansandChristianmissionaries,begantodiscoverthemselves as partof mankind,whileAfrikaners,anxioustopreservetheirsmallnationinisolation, turnedtheirbackontherestofmankind. Ofcoursethenascentpoliticalconsciousnesswas apparentintheactivities of onlyafewAfricansandinthemainthetribesmen andthoseworkingas labourers forthewhitesettlers,wereignorantandinsular.Butthosefewweresignificant. Manyofthemwerevoters,onthecommonrolloftheCapeColonysince1854. FromtheI88o's somehelpedtoformAfricanorganizationsinvariousparts ofthe countryalthoughpoliticalexpressionwasscatteredandhesitant.Thefirst African Christianchurchwas establishedandthefirstAfricannewspaperpublished.By 188oAfricansintheCapehadtwo generationsofmissionaryeducationbehind them,provided eitherbytheChurchof Scotland's College, Lovedale,foundedin 1841before comparableschools wereprovidedforwhites,orbyMethodistsand Anglicans whoestablishedschoolssoonafter.Mr. Gungulisa,anelderlyXhosa butcherinPortElizabeth, whowasaboyinthe'nineties,recallsthosedays: 'Thingswere allrightthereaccordingtothelawofthelateQueen17 B TrendsandAttitudes Victoria,'hesays.'Theaboriginals werejuststartingto gettakenwith Western ideas. Wewereregisteredvoters,allowedto buyproperty,afarmsay, wecould holdland,andifavoter wecouldevenpossessfirearms. We enjoyedit.' However,althoughtheAfricanproportionofthevotesintheColonywas negligible,inafewconstituenciesoftheEastern Capetheywerebeginningto makethemselvesfelt.TheGovernmenttwiceraisedthefranchisequalifications andanAfricanpetitiontoQueenVictoriaappealingagainstthisproved ineffectual,sothatattheturnofthecenturyAfricans formedonly4"7%ofthe votersintheCapeColony. Yettheywereseenas athreat.AllthesameCape policieswerebroadlyliberal,whereasinBritishNatal,contrarytoQueen Victoria'sdeclarationthatallraceswouldbeequal,theZuluswerebeingconfined todiminishingreserves as Europeanimmigrantstooktheirland forsugarestates. Fromallaccountstherewasnotmuchtochoosebetweenthe attitudeofNatal farmers andoftheBoerGovernmentsofthetwo RepublicsoftheTransvaaland theOrange FreeState,wheretherewas 'noequalityinchurchorstate'.The representativeofNatalfarmersexpressedtheviewtoaNativeAffairs Commission:'Thenativeisthemosttractableman going,aslongas he knows youhave yourfootonhisneck...Ithinkthethingthatshouldbeusedveryfreely is thelash,foritis bodilypainthatthenativefears.' WhentheBoer WarbrokeoutmanyAfricans supportedtheBritishforces-some forwagesbutsome actinguponprincipleandini9oitheBritishGovernment assuredthemthattherewouldbenopeacethatdid notgivethemthesame privileges aswhites.ButwhenthePeaceTreatywassigned atVereeniging Africans foundittobea'shamelessbetrayal'.'TheBritishGovernment-aLiberal Government-farfromfulfillingtheassurance,had becomesointenton reconcilingthedefeated Boerstotheirnewstatus ofbecomingBritishsubjects, that,ironicallythevictorybecamethebasisfortheultimateascendancyof AfrikanernationalismwithitsrenunciationoftheBritishconnection.Anditwas theBritishwhoinitiatedacolourbarinthenewminingindustryoftheTransvaal. FurthermoresomeofthoseAfricans whohadhelpedtheBritishduringthewar foundthemselves sufferingforthatservice.Dr.James Moroka,adistinguished physician whosefamilyintheOrange FreeStatehad givensuch 1ConiaciarticlebySelbyMsimang,April2,196o. 18 TrendsandAttitudes assistance,explains,'Our positionwasworsethan ithadbeenbecausetheBoers said,you chapsareskellums,andfromthattimewegotitintheneck.' Theseevents gaveadecidedimpetustoAfricanpoliticalactivitythoughthe groupsthatsprangupall overthecountrywereas yetsmallandlocalintheir membership.AmongthemwastheNatalNativeCongress,of 'Christianand civilized'Africans,ledbyMartin LutuliofTugela.Meanwhile a youngIndian lawyer,M. K.Gandhi,sincehisarrivalinSouth Africa,hadalreadyformedthe Natal IndianCongress in 1894,andtheColouredpeopleintheCapesetupthe African People's Organization.Again,apetitionwassenttothe Imperial Government,thistimein 19o6fromtheTransvaal Natives'Congress.The petitioners'respectfully' remindedtheHouseofCommonsoftheirloyaltyand claimed,asBritishsubjects,theirrighttoliberty,freedom andequality.Theysaid thatthepasslaws intheTransvaal-conceivedinSouthernAfricabythe Netherlands EastIndies Company250 yearsbeforewere'repugnant,unnecessary, undesirableandunBritish'.Theypointedoutthattherehadbeennotroubleinthe Capesincetheselawshadfallenintodisuse.Theirpetitionwasignored. Perhapsitwassymbolicthatinthatsame year,19o6,aswellas thepetition there weretwootherforms of protestmadeagainsttheincreasingabuses offreedom andjustice.InNatal,Bambata,aZuluchieftain,ledarebellionagainstEuropean seizureofZululandand thesuddenimpositionofatax atatimeof extreme poverty. Morethan3,ooo Africans and30Europeans werekilledinthefighting. IntheTransvaalGandhi originatedthemethodof passiveresistancewhen he organized Indiansagainstanattempttoforcethem,likeAfricans,tocarrypasses. It maybesuperficialtodrawanyconclusionabouttheeffectivenessofthethree methodsofprotestusedatthistime,butitistemptingtoobservethatthepetition wasineffectual,thattherebellionwasstampedoutwith greatviolence, and that onlythepassiveresistancesucceededinavertingtheimmediatethreat. Between19o6and191othefateofthenon-whites ofSouthAfricawas inthe balance.Touslookingbackitis clearthatthepoliciesofthetwoBoerRepublics wouldprevailovertheliberalpolicyoftheCape; wecandiscernstrongtrends workinginthisdirection.Theyweretypifiedinaremarkmadebyoneofthe BritishGovernment's mostinfluentialadvisers, LordMilner,the19 TrendsandAttitudes formerGovernoroftheCapeColony,whohadsaidin1899:'Theultimateendis aself-governingwhitecommunity,supportedbywell-treatedandjustlygoverned blacklabour.' Foralltheirliberalprinciples eminentEnglishmenweresointenton theobjectofUnionbetweentheCape,NatalandthetwoformerRepublics that theyseemedtoseenothingoftheimplicationsoftheiractions.TheBritish GovernmentwasinfluencedconsiderablybyMilner's Kindergarten-amongthem LionelCurtis,PatrickDuncanandRobertBrand-wholobbiedpassionatelyfor UnionandvirtuallycalledonthewhiteSouthAfricanstouniteintheirown interests.'Thiscallfound areadyresponse:intheTransvaalpeopletooktheline thatonlybyUnioncould thewhitesdealwiththenativeproblemwithout interferencefromDowningStreet. WhatwastheattitudetotheroleofAfricansofthemostenlightened Afrikaners? GeneralJanSmuts,who was provingtobethemosteffectiveproponentof Union, expressedhisconfusioninaletterin19o6:'When Iconsiderthepoliticalfutureof theNativesinSouthAfricaImustsaythat Ilookintoshadowsanddarkness;and thenIfeelinclinedtoshifttheintolerableburden ofsolvingthatsphinx problem totheamplershouldersandstrongerbrainsofthefuture."' WhilerepresentativeoftheviewofGeneral LouisBotha,thegreatestof Afrikanerleaders,was abeliefheexpressedthatthecivilizingofnatives could bestbeaccomplishedbythebreakingupofZululand,BasutolandandSwaziland, sothatnativeslivinginreservesshouldworkforwhites andcouldhavetheirland exploited.3 Suchweretheattitudes ofthevastmajorityofthewhites whowereintenton rapidlydevelopingthecountry'sresourceswiththeuseofAfricanlabour,andfew ofwhomhadevermetanyoftheincreasingnumberofeducated Africans. Itis relevantthatatthistimeinSouthAfrica,whereasjustover165,000whites were atschools,thecomparablenumberofAfricans was overi86,oooalthoughthe qualityofeducationforAfricans, apartfromthefewexcellentmissionary schools,canbejudged fromthefactthattheeducation grantforthemillion whiteswas 16times as greatasthatforthefourmillionAfricans. 1TheUnificationof SouthAfrica1902-T9io, L. M.Thompson. 2 LettertoMerriman,March13,19o6. Ibid.3Transvaal LabourCommission Report. 20 TrendsandAttitudes WhenitbecameknownthatBritainwas proposingtohandoverthenon-white populationtotheruleoftheprivilegedwhio minority,widespreadopposition brokeoutx-ypemonitionofwhat W-as-tohappen 46-yeiis-l-er whenF~deration wasimposedon NyasalandandtheRhodesias-andAfricanpoliticalassociations ralliedtoresistthethreat. LedbythreeeditorsofAfricannewspapers,theRev. WalterRubusana,JohnTengoJabavu,andtheRev.JohnDube,theymetand whiletheyapprovedtheprincipleofUnion,theyemphaticallyprotestedagainst thecolourbarintheproposedconstitution.Thisrestrictedthevotetowhitesinall provincesexceptintheCape,and eventheredeprivedAfricansoftherightto electanAfricantoParliament.Theyrequested 'fullandequalrights'for all persons.TheColouredpeoplealsoregisteredtheirprotest. Whentheall-whiteNationalConvention,representingthefourparts tothe proposedUnion,metinBloemfonteinin1909itdid Lnotevendiscussthese protests. Itwasnotasiftheproblemsofthemomentwereso absorbingthatpeople concernedwithdrawinguptheUnionconstitutioncouldnotrealizethe
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