Govan Mbeki

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Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born July 9, 1910 in Nqamakwe District, Transkei , South Africa ; † August 30, 2001 in Port Elizabeth , South Africa; called Oom Gov 'Uncle Gov') was a leader of the anti-apartheid movement , high-ranking politician of the African National Congress (ANC) and Chancellor of Fort Hare University . He was the father of South African President Thabo Mbeki .

Life

Govan Mbeki was born in Transkei, where he also spent his youth. He comes from a very religious family. The father was a wealthy chief removed from office by the government. As a result, he got to know the living conditions and problems of the small farmers early on, which shaped his future life. He got his first name after the Scottish clergyman Reverend William Govan , who ran a well-known mission school in the valley of the Tyhume River .

He received his education at various mission schools, including in Healdtown . Since 1925 he took an active part in the activities of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union , the first mass organization of black workers in South Africa. After graduating from high school, he went to the University College of Fort Hare on a Transkei Bunga scholarship , where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree . In 1937 he graduated with degrees in political science and psychology along with a diploma in education. After that Mbeki worked as a teacher in Transkei and Natal . He taught at the Clarkebury Institute and Adams College and lost his job because of political activities. While still a student, he accepted the ANC membership and met Edward Roux . In addition, contacts developed with Max Yergan, a communist-oriented Afro-American who took part in setting up the Young Men's Christian Association in South Africa and who later became a supporter of the Nasionale Party .

After his teaching career, he devoted himself entirely to writing and local politics. He earned his living through a cooperative shop in Idutywa (Transkei) and as editor of Territorial Magazine between 1938 and 1944. He published his first articles and in 1939 a collection of essays under the title The Transkei in the making . In 1941, Mbeki took over the role of managing director of the Transkei African Voters' Association . Finally, in 1943, he won a four-year electoral mandate for the United Transkeian Territories General Council in the Idutywa constituency. During this time, Mbeki successfully campaigned for a resident insurance option and became a director of the Guardian newspaper . In 1943 he also took over the position of general secretary at the Transkeian Organized Bodies (meaning: United Organizations of the Transkei), which coordinated the activities of various political groups in the Transkei.

In 1944 he and other people founded the ANC's youth organization, the ANC Youth League .

Through his work for various regional organizations, Mbeki established an extensive network of contacts that he used for his work as an editor at the New Age newspaper . In November 1962, New Age was banned by the Justice Department. When the successor, the Spark, came out, the Justice Department did not ban the newspaper, but prevented editors and authors from collaborating. For this commitment he was banned from the then government of South Africa in 1962 on the basis of the Suppression of Communism Act .

During his imprisonment, Govan Mbeki received an honorary doctorate in social sciences from the University of Amsterdam in 1978. His son Moeletsi Mbeki accepted the award on behalf of the detainee.

During his time as editor, Govan Mbeki was an active member of the ANC and the South African Communist Party , which he joined in 1963. By the early 1960s he had risen to become a leader of the underground movement. In 1963 he was appointed to the high command of Umkhonto we Sizwe , the militant wing of the ANC. For his activities, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial in 1964 together with Nelson Mandela , Walter Sisulu , Elias Motsoaledi , Ahmed Kathrada , Denis Goldberg , Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni and imprisoned on Robben Island . During this time he wrote his book Learning from Robben Island , in which he laid down his political, economic and organizational analyzes of the apartheid state.

In 1985, Mbeki turned down an offer made by South African President Pieter Willem Botha to be released against the renunciation of violence. He was released on November 5, 1987, resumed his work for the ANC, and was named Chancellor of Fort Hare University. He held this office until 1999.

After the 1994 elections, Govan Mbeki was elected Deputy President of the Senate in the then parliament and held this position until the end of the legislative period in 1999 (the Senate was replaced in 1997 by the “ National Council of Provinces ”).

Govan Mbeki was married to Epainette Mbeki (1916-2014) until his death. He was the father of the later South African President Thabo Mbeki and the economist Moeletsi Mbeki .

Honors

  • In 1980 the ANC recognized his commitment with the Isitwalandwe award .
  • In 1999 Mbeki received the South African Order for Meritorious Service in Gold.

Works

  • South Africa: The Peasants' Revolt
  • The Struggle for Liberation in South Africa: A Short History (1992)
  • Learning from Robben Island: Govan Mbeki's Prison Writings

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Govan Mbeki at heraldscotland.com (English), accessed April 12, 2018
  2. ↑ a b c d e Shelag Gastrow: Who's Who in South African Politics. Number Two . Johannesburg 1987 pp. 173-175
  3. ↑ a b Tribute to Govan Mbeki (obituary). on www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za ( Memento from April 24, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ↑ a b Shelagh Gastrow: Who's Who in South African Politics Number 3 . Johannesburg 1990, pp. 186-189
  5. ↑ Mphumzi Zuzile: Graduation tribute to retiring 'Oom Gov' . on www.dispatch.co.za ( Memento from September 30, 2000 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  6. ↑ List of recipients of the medal 1999 (English), accessed on August 25, 2018
personal data
SURNAME Mbeki, Govan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mbeki, Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa (full name); Gov, Oom
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African politician, leader of the anti-apartheid movement
DATE OF BIRTH July 9, 1910
PLACE OF BIRTH Nqamakwe District, Transkei , South Africa
DATE OF DEATH August 30, 2001
Place of death Port Elizabeth , South Africa