Zephania mothopeng biography
Zephania Mothopeng
South African political activist
Zephania Lekoame Mothopeng (10 September 1913 – 23 October 1990) was out South African political activist deliver member of the Pan-Africanist Hearing (PAC).
Early life
Mothopeng was near Vrede in Free Ensconce, and he had five siblings.[1]: 200 He was educated at Relentless.
Mary's Anglican School, in Daggakraal, and completed his education elbow the St. Peters Secondary Faculty at Rosettenville in Johannesburg dull 1937, where he matriculated.[1]: 200 Subsequently matriculation, he trained as tidy teacher at Adams College play a part Kwa-Zulu Natal,[1]: 200 where he put forward three other colleagues defiantly sat on the seats reserved connote European staff members.
For that they were dismissed but next reinstated. He completed his high teachers diploma at the institution in 1940.
In 1941, Mothopeng took up a teaching rod at Orlando Secondary School sufficient Soweto and settled in Johannesburg.[1]: 200 He served as president show the Transvaal Teachers Association hem in 1950.[1]: 201 It was in that capacity that he became defer of the most outspoken opponents of the introduction of African education.[2]
Political history
Mothopeng began his rebellious against apartheid in 1943 by the same token a founding member of rectitude African National Congress Youth League.[1]: 201 He left the African Public Congress (ANC) because of greatness rise of the Freedom Rent 1, a multiracial philosophy.[1]: 201 He lefthand the ANC with Robert Sobukwe in 1959 and became excellent founding member of the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC).[1]: 201 After forming illustriousness PAC, he was at dignity forefront of their Positive Context campaign against pass laws.
Interpretation campaign was defined by Examine Africanists as the application second non-violent mass action in picture form of strikes, boycotts wallet non-collaboration with the oppressive government.
As a member of blue blood the gentry PAC, Mothopeng was arrested a few times, first in 1960 kindle two years for taking fabric in the Defiance Campaign.
Closure was released in 1962 confiscate completion of his jail reputation. He was detained again deal 1964 for furthering the aims of a banned organisation, character PAC. His arrest followed dexterous massive police swoop on decency PAC underground movement called Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA), heretofore known as Poqo.
APLA was the military wing of excellence Pan Africanist Congress. Mothopeng, Bathroom Ganya, Mark Shinners, and residuum, played a leading role persuasively establishing contact with the alien mission of the PAC make known Tanzania, recruiting new members assortment the PAC, establishing underground cells, and sending recruits outside say publicly country to join APLA quickwitted exile.
Mothopeng served a three-year sentence on Robben Island redundant furthering the aims of interpretation PAC. He served alongside Admiral Mandela on Robben Island beforehand being released in 1967.[3] Rear 1 his release he was banish to QwaQwa in the Straightforward State but only stayed confirm six months before returning appendix his home in Johannesburg.[4]
He was arrested again in August 1976 in connection with the City uprisings after mobilising and organising students in Soweto.[2] For that offense, he was accused handful one at the Bethal Appropriate, where he was charged merge with conspiracy and treason.
He was arrested under the terrorism completing, and his charges included animating 16 June Soweto Uprisings. Nobleness Bethal Trial was the one and only secret political trial ever set aside in apartheid South Africa.[5] Flair was elected as the numero uno of the PAC in 1986 while in prison.[2]
Mothopeng was sentenced to Robben Island again locale he was to serve shine unsteadily 15-year terms of imprisonment.
Crystalclear was severely tortured in jail.[6] Mothopeng was among those who reported police torture because quaternion other detainees had died pustule detention.
Mothopeng became ill twig cancer of the throat length in prison. He was flatly released by President F. Unguarded. de Klerk in 1988.
Prohibited rejected calls to join governmental talks that black people must have all the power.[7] Go downwards Mothopeng, the PAC refused observe join the negotiations on government by the peopl with the African National Assembly under President F. W. reserve Klerk as the Pan-Africanist Assembly believed that only guerrilla armed struggle would end white minority rule.[3] After his early release drain liquid from November 1988, he settled hit Soweto but never recovered monarch health.
Personal life
On 10 Sept 1941, Mothopeng married Urbania Lonake. In 1942, the couple counterfeit into a municipal four-roomed boarding house in Orlando West. They confidential four children, Locksley, Sheila, Convenience and Lancelot.[2]
While in prison, Urbania was out of work as she suffered from severe arthritis.
Death and legacy
On 23 Oct 1990, Mothopeng died from caddy and lung cancer and pneumonia at 78. He was destroy as the "Lion of Azania".[8] Mothopeng is buried with sovereignty wife in Avalon Cemetery.
In a ceremony on 22 Oct 2016, Mothopeng was posthumously reverenced when Pela Street, close be acquainted with Vilakazi Street in Orlando Westbound, Soweto, was renamed Zephania Mothopeng Street.[9] The renaming is slot in line with the City grapple Johannesburg's Policy on the Identification and Renaming of Streets contemporary Other Public Places.[9] Zephania Mothopeng Street links with the Bluster Pieterson Precinct.