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Back BANTU STEPHEN BIKO
December 18, 1946 - September 12,
1977
A PROFILE
"We have set on a quest for true humanity, and somewhere on the
distant horison we can see the glittering prize. Let us march
forth with courage and determination, drawing strength from our
common plight and brotherhood. In time we shall be in a position
to bestow upon South Africa the greatest gift possible - a more
human face". Steve Biko.
The above quotation from Steve Biko's essay:"Black Consciousness
- A Quest for a True Humanity", perhaps encapsulates his mind
frame and the role that he set himself towards the betterment of
his people, given their experience, which he shared.
Bantu Stephen Biko was born in Kingwilliamstown on the 18th
December 1946, the third son of the late Mr & Mrs Mzimgayi Biko.
He did his primary schooling in Kingwilliamstown. His secondary
schooling was virtually all done at the Marianhill Secondary
School in Kwazulu.
He entered the Medical School of the University of Natal(Black
Section) in 1966. This is where he broke his political teeth.
Biko gave up what could have been a comfortable and affluent
life of the stethoscope to selflessly work for the total
liberation of his people.
He and his colleagues founded the South African Students'
Organisation(SASO) in 1968. He was elected the first President
of the organisation at its inaugural congress held at Turfloop
in 1969. This organisation was borne out of the frustrations
Black students encountered within the multi-racial NUSAS and
geared itself at addressing those frustrations and problems of
black students and black people generally.
But the black students, under his leadership, went on to further
argue that they were black before they were students and argued
for a black political organisation in the country. Opinion was
canvassed and finally the organisation, the Black People's
Convention (BPC), was founded in July 1972 and inaugurated in
December of the same year.
Through his inspiration, the youth of the country at high school
level were mobilised and this resulted in the formation of the
South African Students' Movement (SASM). This is the Movement
that played a pivotal role in the 1976 Uprisings, which
accelerated the course of our liberation struggle.
The other formation was the National Association of Youth
Organisations (NAYO), which catered for the youth generally.
He was instrumental in the formation of one of SASO's projects,
the Black Workers' Project (BWP) which was co-sponsored by the
Black Community Programmes (BCP) for which Steve worked. This
project addressed problems of Black workers whose unions were
then not recognised in law.
After serving as President, Biko was elected Publications
Director of SASO where he wrote prolifically under the pen name
Frank Talk in the SASO Newsletter.
On leaving the Medical School in 1972 - from which he was
expelled, Steve joined the BCP, which he co-founded, in their
Durban offices.
This organisation engaged in a number of community based
projects and published a yearly, Black Review, which was an
analysis of political trends in the country.
In March 1973 he was banned and restricted to Kingwilliamstown.
There he set up a BCP office where he worked as a Branch
Executive. But soon his banning order was amended to prohibit
him from working or associating with the BCP. The BCP did well
however, building a clinic, the Zanempilo Clinic, and a creche,
both of which were very popular.
Despite the inconvenience brought about by the restriction
order, Steve was instrumental in the founding of the Zimele
Trust Fund in 1975. This was set up to assist political
prisoners and their families. This was another example of the
man's resolve and his indestructible black pride.
In Ginsberg, he set up the Ginsberg Educational Trust to assist
black students.
In January 1977, the Black People's Convention (BPC), in
recognition of his momentous contribution to the liberation
struggle, unanimously elected him its Honorary President.
In his short but remarkable political life, Steve was always a
target of the "system". He was frequently harassed and detained
under the country's notorious security legislation.
On the 18th August 1977, he was arrested in a police roadblock
with his colleague and comrade, Peter Cyril Jones and detained
under Section 6 of the nefarious Terrorism Act.
Steve and Peter had in fact been to Cape Town, despite Steve's
banning, to lend their weight to efforts to get all political
organisations of the people to agree to a broader programme of
co-operation to advance our course. His quest for black unity
was eventually to cost him his life.
That is the kind of man Steve was, no price was ever too high
for him if what was asked of him was to advance the struggle.
Unfortunately, this detention rudely interrupted Steve's noble
journey in his quest for a true humanity. His death in detention
at the hands of the operatives of one the most savage and
repressive regimes ever known to humankind, less than a month
after his detention, robbed the country of one of its foremost
political thinkers and analysts.
But, he did us proud as people, because even in the face of his
death, he remained dignified. The man died on his feet and not
on his knees as the enemy would have loved.
Compiled by Mpotseng Jairus Kgokong
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