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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
Published by AZAPO: 7th Floor Balmoral House, 100
President Street, Johannesburg, 2001. PO Box 4230,
Johannesburg, South Africa, 2000.
Tel.: +27 11 336 1874; +27 11 336 3551; +27 11 333
6681 Email.: azapo@sn.apc.org
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