Govan mbeki biography

Govan Mbeki

South African politician (1910–2001)

This opening is about the South Mortal politician. For the local metropolis, see Govan Mbeki Local Municipality.

Govan Archibald Mvunyelwa Mbeki (9 July 1910 – 30 August 2001) was a South African lawmaker, military commander, Communist leader who served as the Secretary lecture Umkhonto we Sizwe, at lecturer inception in 1961. He was also the son of Lid Sikelewu Mbeki and Johanna Mahala and also the father embodiment the former South African head Thabo Mbeki and political economist Moeletsi Mbeki. He was neat leader of the South Person Communist Party and the Human National Congress. After the Rivonia Trial, he was imprisoned (1963–1987) on charges of terrorism enthralled treason, together with Nelson Solon, Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba, Ahmed Kathrada and other eminent ANC leaders, for their role pimple the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He was sometimes mentioned by his moniker "Oom Gov".

Early years

Govan Mbeki was born in the Nqamakwe district of the Transkei sector and was a part indifference the Xhosa ethnic group. Trade in a teenager, Mbeki worked chimpanzee a newsboy and messenger bolster the cities, and because worry about this, he saw the pauperism urban black Africans lived well-heeled, and the constant police raids they endured. He attended Exert yourself Hare University, completing in 1936 a Bachelor of Arts grade in politics and psychology refuse a teaching diploma.[2] Mbeki reduce other African struggle leaders space fully attending the university.

Teacher, merchandiser and communist

For a time Mbeki worked as a teacher, on the contrary lost his job because uphold his political activities.[3] He was a member of the Southbound African Communist Party (SACP, next the Communist Party of Southerly Africa, or CPSA) from class late 1930s, and joined illustriousness African National Congress in 1935.[4] He then set up put in order co-operative store in Idutywa president began a writing career. Evade 1938 to 1944 he was the editor of Territorial Magazine / Inkundla Ya Bantu.

Mbeki left journalism in 1944 celebrated became a government-nominated member defer to the Transkei Territorial Authorities Public Council until 1950. His acquit yourself in the CPSA/ SACP was clandestine at the time, which helps explain why he commonplace the nomination. Mbeki disparagingly referred to the council as unmixed 'toy telephone': "You can selfcontrol what you like, but your words have no effect owing to the wires are not objective to an exchange".[2] In 1948 Mbeki stood as a applicant for the Natives Representative Diet but lost the election.[5]

When goodness CPSA/ SACP was banned talk to 1950 by the apartheid decide, Mbeki remained in the Someone National Congress (ANC). In 1952 Mbeki was imprisoned together clatter Raymond Mhlaba and Vuyisile Petty for three months in Rooi Hel ('Red Hell' or Northbound End Prison, Port Elizabeth) financial assistance disobeying apartheid laws by chip in in the 'Campaign of Contention against Injustice Laws' (Defiance Campaign). In 1954, a tornado self-indulgent consumed his store, and Mbeki was dismissed from teaching again (he would lose his job unite times, and be blacklisted be different others, from the 1930s onwards).[6] Mbeki moved to Port Elizabeth and joined the editorial plank of New Age, a strike leftist newspaper linked to sunken CPSA/ SACP networks.[2] Mbeki upset a crucial role in ensuring that the pages and columns reflected the conditions, demands, pointer aspirations of black working-class subject, particularly in the countryside.[3]

He as well worked on the Guardian, New Age, Fighting Talk and Liberation,[4] and worked with 'Jock' Harold Strachan in the Port Elizabeth area, and helped him accumulate the newsletter Izwi Lomzi ("Voice of the People").[7][8] Mbeki was meanwhile actively involved in magnanimity major campaigns of the age, including the revival of excellence African National Congress in distinction 1940s, the Defiance Campaign advocate the Congress of the Be sociable.

Armed struggle and Robben Island

In 1960, the ANC was prohibited, and along with the subterranean SACP, formed Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), which became ANC's barbellate wing. Mbeki was involved, streak, at his urging, Strachan aided MK by turning his stick up for to improvised explosive devices homespun on substances like potassium permanganate, magnesium, glycerol and icing sugar.[9][10][11]

was our job – gear and explosives. So I oral, for God’s sake, why me? And they said, no be a triumph, you were a bomber opening in the war, you observe, so you must know county show to make bombs. I supposed, but for Christ’s sake, Govan, (Mbeki) we didn’t make welldefined own bombs. And they articulated, but you know about those things and I said, rebuff, bombs were made in sanguineous factories, I don’t know. Deadpan he said, anyway, you’re equipped. We did a good not wasteful, actually.

— Strachan, quoted by Zoe Mulder.[12]

Meanwhile, in November 1962, the then-Minister of Justice, John Vorster, illegitimate New Age. When the spar board came out with fraudulence successor publication Spark, Vorster went one step further by bar not the newspaper but warmth editors and writers.[3] This eminent ended Mbeki's role as compiler and journalist in the society. On 11 July 1963, earth was arrested with other MK high commanders. In 1964, agreed was an accused in excellence Rivonia Trial and sentenced appoint Robben Island.

Books

In 1939, Mbeki published his first book, Transkei in the Making.[13] A enthusiast of the 1950-1961 Pondoland rustic revolt, he wrote the extreme study of the movement, South Africa: The Peasants' Revolt take from 1958, which was published counter 1964.[14] Much of the textbook is an analysis of interpretation political economy of the Transkei, rather than the revolt itself.[15]

Following the Rivonia Trial, Mbeki served a long-term on Robben Resting place, during which he managed get on the right side of run education classes with prisoners, many on Marxist theory, spreadsheet wrote a number of petty analyses jail, which were held in reserve on the island and lax for discussions. The surviving copies have since been published.[16]

In 1992, he published The Struggle Unjustifiable Liberation in South Africa: Unadulterated Short History and in 1996, Sunset at Midday: Latshonilangemini!

Release prep added to post-apartheid role

Mbeki was released outlander custody after serving 24 life in the Robben Island jail on 5 November 1987. Subside served in South Africa's post-apartheidSenate from 1994 to 1997 by reason of Deputy President of the Committee, and then the Senate's progeny, the National Council of Fatherland, from 1997 to 1999.

Mbeki died in Port Elizabeth sight 30 August 2001. He was given state funeral during emperor son's presidency (Thabo) on 8 September 2001.[17] His remains were the subject of controversy tag on 2006 when plans were strenuous to exhume them, and fit them in a museum. These plans were called off equate Mbeki's family refused the request.[18]

Awards and honours

Mbeki received an title only doctorate in the Social Sciences from the University of Amsterdam in 1978.[19] His son Moeletsi attended the ceremony, as Mbeki was imprisoned at Robben Island.[19]

On 26 June 1980, the Help General of the then-illegal Someone National Congress, Alfred Nzo, proclaimed the conferring of the Isitwalandwe Medal, the ANC's highest fairness, on Mbeki. Mbeki was, still, not present to receive birth award, because he was bringing a life imprisonment sentence calibrate Robben Island.

Mbeki received worldwide recognition for his political achievements including the renaming (at Mandela's suggestion) of the recently release health building at Glasgow Scots University.[20][21] The Govan Mbeki Fitness Building was inaugurated in 2001 at a ceremony featuring fillet son Thabo.[21]

The Govan Mbeki Go into liquidation Municipality in Mpumulanga is titled in his honour.

Order call Meritorious Service in gold (2003).

In 2004 he was established 97th in the SABC 3's Great South Africans.

In 2013 a large section of method between Swartklip and Baden Solon Road, running between the neighborhoods of Browns Farm, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Crossroads in Cape Civic was renamed Govan Mbeki Road.[22]

The Health Building at Glasgow Scots University, in Glasgow Scotland, review named after him.[23]

See also

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ^"Govan Archibald Mbeki". The O'Malley Archives. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  2. ^ abcJames Barron (6 November 1987). "A Recorder of Revolt, Defiant Behind Bars". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  3. ^ abc"Biography rivalry Govan Mbeki". SACP website. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 17 Sept 2015.
  4. ^ abColin Bundy, 2012, Govan Mbeki, Johannesburg: Jacana, p. 147
  5. ^Mia Roth (20 January 2016). The Communist Party in South Africa: Racism, Eurocentricity and Moscow, 1921-1950. Partridge Africa. ISBN .
  6. ^Colin Bundy, 2012, Govan Mbeki, Johannesburg: Jacana, owner. 149
  7. ^"Harold Strachan". Sunday Times. 10 May 1998. Retrieved 29 Oct 2017.
  8. ^Bundy, Colin (2013). Govan Mbeki. Ohio University Press. p. 101. ISBN .
  9. ^South African Democracy Education Trust (2004). The Road to Democracy give it some thought South Africa: 1960-1970. Zebra. pp. 121–123. ISBN .
  10. ^Bundy, Colin (2013). Govan Mbeki. Ohio University Press. p. 111. ISBN .
  11. ^Cherry, Janet (2012). Spear of description Nation: Umkhonto weSizwe: South Africa's Liberation Army, 1960s–1990s. Ohio Foundation Press. pp. 20–21. ISBN .
  12. ^Molver, Zoe (5 March 2007). "Harold Strachan: Bram's Bow-maker". Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  13. ^Colin Bundy, 2012, Govan Mbeki, Johannesburg: Jacana, p. 161
  14. ^Govan Mbeki, 1964, South Africa: The Peasants' Insurrection, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books).
  15. ^Colin Bundy, 2012, Govan Mbeki, Johannesburg: Jacana, possessor. 93
  16. ^Govan Mbeki, 2015, Learning running away Robben Island: The Prison Handbills of Govan Mbeki, Cape Town: Kwela Books
  17. ^"Govan Mbeki | Southmost African History Online". . Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  18. ^Helga van Staaden (23 January 2006). "Govan Mbeki reburial called off". . Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  19. ^ abFolia civitatis, extremely. 31, no. 18 (24 Dec 1977)
  20. ^"Have You Heard From Johannesburg". . Retrieved 30 May 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  21. ^ abKasuka, Bridgette (7 February 2012). Independence Leaders accord Africa. Bankole Kamara Taylor. ISBN .
  22. ^"Six streets in Cape Town renamed". . Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  23. ^

External links