PIONEER
Philip Kgosana
Pan Africanist Congress Leader | Human Rights Activist |Community Activist
Born: 12 October 1936 Died: 19 April 2017
“Political power is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end, a tool to achieve social and economic freedom. Our people want food, and schools, and houses. What are all these squatter camps? There is not one city in South Africa which doesn’t have this other city, this shack city, full of water and dead dogs. And these are growing. If there are children sleeping on the floor and studying under a tree, and you have power, you aren’t using that power.”
Who is
Philip Kgosana?
The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) activist who led the famous march from Langa to Cape Town in 1960 to protest pass laws, and continued his political work in exile for decades afterwards.
Professions
and Roles
Activist, and PAC leader.
Best Known For
Leading an anti-pass laws march of approximately 30 000 people on 30 March 1960 from Langa to Cape Town.
Life highlights
- Kgosana became regional secretary of the PAC for the Western Cape in 1960, and left his studies to dedicate himself to political work more fully.
- He led a peaceful march in 1960 and negotiated with the crowd to disperse, in exchange for a meeting between the Minister of Justice and PAC leaders. The authorities broke their promise, and rather than meeting with him, when Kgosana arrived at the police station, he was arrested for incitement. Many believe that Kgosana’s actions saved thousands of lives given the apartheid police’s willingness to shoot innocent protesters as they did at Sharpeville nine days previously.
- Kgosana was tried with other PAC members and then fled the country while on bail in late 1960. He went into exile for 30 years and continued his studies in Ethiopia.
- Kgosana served at UNICEF [United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund] from 1976 to 1996.
- He returned to South Africa in 1996 and settled in Winterveld, working as a farmer and preacher at the Methodist Church.
- Unisa [The University of South Africa] conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy on Kgosana in 2017 to recognise his political service and dedication to justice in South Africa, typified by his leadership in the anti-pass law march.
IN THE WORDS OF OTHERS
“We remember him for his bravery‚ humility‚ integrity and his ruthless ethics‚ his critical mind, and his consistency. He never wavered in his beliefs.”
– David Makhura, Premier of Gauteng, 2017
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of this former freedom fighter who dedicated his life to the liberation of the people of South Africa. We wish to convey our deepest condolences to the Kgosana family and his political home, the Pan Africanist Congress. May his soul rest in peace.”
– Jacob Zuma, former President of South Africa, 2017
He marched the same route in March 2016, aged 79, to highlight the government’s neglect of poor South Africans. In 2017, the road along which he marched, previously called De Waal Drive, was renamed Philip Kgosana Drive in his honour.
References
