Govan Mbeki

Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki ( born July 9, 1910 in 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 politicians of the African National Congress ( ANC) and Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare. He was the father of the late South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Life

Govan Mbeki was born in Transkei, where he spent his youth. He comes from a religion is strong parental home, the father was a wealthy village chief. He learned by early life conditions and problems of small farmers know that shaped his life. He received his first name after the Scottish clergyman Rev. William Govan, who ran a well-known missionary school in the valley of Tyhume Rivers.

He received his formal education at the mission school in Lovedale. From 1925 he participated in the activities of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union keen interest, the first mass organization of black workers in South Africa. After his high school graduation, he went to study at the ' University College of Fort Hare and earned a Bachelor of Arts there first. In 1936 he graduated with degrees in political science and psychology together with a diploma in education. After Mbeki worked as a teacher in Natal.

Two years later he gave up his teaching career and devoted himself entirely to writing and local politics. In the following years he published his first article and in 1939 a collection of essays under the title The Transkei in the making.

In 1944 he founded together with other persons, the youth organization of the ANC, the ANC Youth League.

Through his work for several regional organizations, he established an extensive network of contacts, which he used for his work as editor of the newspaper New Age. In November 1962 New Age was banned by the Ministry of Justice. As the successor, the newspaper Spark came out, the Justice Department did not ban the newspaper, but prevented editors and writers on the staff. For this commitment, he was banished in 1962 based on the Suppression of Communism Act of the then government of South Africa.

During his time as editor of Govan Mbeki was an active member of the ANC and the South African Communist Party, which he had joined in 1963. In the early 1960s became a leader of the underground movement. In 1963 he was appointed to the supreme command of the military wing of the ANC. For his activities he was convicted in 1964 along with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Elias Motsoaledi, Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni in the Rivonia Trial to life imprisonment. During this time he wrote his book Learning from Robben Iceland, where he laid down his political, economic and organizational analyzes of the apartheid state.

A undertakings submitted by the South African President Pieter Willem Botha 's offer to be released on the renunciation of violence, leaning Mbeki in 1985. On November 5, 1987, he was released from prison on Robben Iceland, started work for the ANC again, and was appointed Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare. This office he held until 1999.

After the 1994 elections Govan Mbeki was elected Deputy President of the Senate and remained in this position until the end of the legislative period 1999 ( the Senate was in 1997 in " National Council of Provinces " renamed).

Govan Mbeki was married until his death with Epainette Mbeki (* 1916). He was the father of the late South African President Thabo Mbeki and the economist Moeletsi Mbeki.

Works

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