ended at Standard 6. This is where Sekila, his other older brother, with whom he had been staying, had enrolled him on his arrival to join him and his mother in the City of Gold – Johannesburg – and who at the beginning of 1944 enrolled him at St Peter’s Secondary School at Rosettenville where he began his secondary education. The school was said to be one of the best in the Johannesburg region. Its principal was Mr DH Darling, a very tall and imposing man. Students and African teachers called him ‘Sdakwa’ (drunkard – a nickname based on his character, in a figurative way rather than literally) and ‘Mabhekaphezulu’ (one who walks looking upwards). The former referred to his temperamental nature (rigid application of school rules but frequent arbitrary decisions); the latter had to do with his physical appearance – to be exact, the way he walked, looking up and posing a gigantic presence. A strict disciplinarian and a very professional leader, Darling was jealously protective of his school, insisting that everyone else should be the same. He was selective of the institutions his school should exchange cultural and sporting activities with, to guard against its being associated with what he believed were ‘mediocre institutions’ offering inferior education and allowing ‘relaxed’ levels of discipline. He would constantly remind his staff and students that his school aimed to produce future leaders and not cheap passes to low-level professionalism. He favoured Kilnerton in Pretoria and Wilberforce in Evaton, which he respected more than any other school in the broader region of Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging and he would threaten ill-disciplined students with dismissal and deportation to the infamous Fort Cox Agricultural School in the Eastern Cape, which he regarded as of a lower standard – this threat would send shivers up the students’ spines. His pride in the institution he was leading created a sense of loyalty to the school in students and staff and instilled an urge to be a responsible citizen. In the long run it would inculcate a high sense of moral duty in those who were associated with the institution and allow them to impart this to those who were not fortunate enough to be part of the school.
The teachers included Oliver Tambo, who taught Mathematics and Physical Science. Andrew remembered him as ‘one of the brightest teachers of the time and a rising political leader’. He had joined the school as a teacher a year previously. Others were Mr Benjamin Musi for Arithmetic, Mr Pretorius and Mr Mitchell for Geography, Mr Bernade for Afrikaans and Mr Stanley Sikhakhane for English. There were also two much admired female members of staff: Miss Mamabolo, who was one of the first black women to have a university degree and Mrs Lindsay whose leadership qualities Andrew would respect for the rest of his life. Women were not as associated with leadership as men and therefore Mrs Mamabolo and Mrs Lindsay were a rare breed in the eyes of Andrew, and probably of many other students as well as their own colleagues. Mrs Mamabolo’s achievements formed the foundation of Andrew’s respect for the intelligence of women, in contrast to what his own father believed and the way he treated Andrew’s sisters – and in contrast to how his father could have influenced him and his brothers. ‘My father believed it was a waste of time to teach his daughters to read and write, let alone to educate them for a better career and a meaningful contribution to society.’ Mr Mitchell was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the UK’s learned society and professional body for Geography, founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences.
Tambo’s political role among black people was something already recognised and respected by many. But it was his levelheadedness that would leave a solid print on Andrew. ‘He could digest issues quickly and make an informed and sober decision.’ This, and Darling’s way of leading and the manner in which he was fully in charge of the school, would lay a solid foundation for Andrew’s own leadership style.
At St Peter’s, Andrew was reunited with Duma Nokwe who, although a year younger, was ahead of him and had been his fellow student at Pimville government school. Nokwe was already an active member of the Young Communist League (YCL). He would later play a prominent role in the ANC in years to come and would also contribute a great deal to the history of black professionals in the country. Andrew was also reunited with Victor Moorosi, another former Pimville student, and Henry Gordon Makgothi, whose uncle, Squire Makgothi, had taught him at Pimville (Gordon was also known as Squire to those who knew his uncle). The confidence of these boys and their principled stance on a number of critical issues was amazing. ‘They were ambitious and exhibited an advanced level of political consciousness. They were confident and could stand their ground without losing their cool. They seemed to have the respect of both teachers and students.’
Later, when he had settled down at St Peter’s, Andrew also met new students who, over time, he found to be more than mere learners. One was Joe Matthews, a bright young man from an affluent and highly political family. They called him ‘professor’, a name derived from the title of his father, ZK Matthews, a university lecturer and high ranking member of the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA). This boy, although three years younger than Andrew, emerged as one of the people Andrew would admire and treat with great respect. Joe Matthews had lived in Durban and the Eastern Cape and had studied at the famous Lovedale College in Alice before St Peter’s. ‘Joe Matthews was already a politically sharpened machine, groomed to lead, and he seemed to understand it.’ Andrew would later get closer to boys such as John Mpolokeng, Alfred Hutchinson and Fats Ngakane.
He found Henry Makgothi, Nokwe, Matthews and Mpolokeng to be very gifted at debate. These young men were the core of the St Peter’s debating team that other schools found difficult to defeat. As a team they had a system of debate that allowed for the introduction of the topic, followed by the argument, and the last part of the debate would summarise the facts and destroy the opposition’s arguments. The last part was affectionately called ‘sweeping’ in the St Peter’s lingo – where the opposition’s arguments were swept away. Makgothi, with his simple and relaxed style, sometimes mocking and sarcastic, was good at introducing the topic. ‘He would intimidate the opposition from the start, and reduce its confidence.’ Joe Matthews’s speciality was the middle part of the debate, with his well-researched analysis of the facts and the way in which he lined up the arguments and the sub-topics. Nokwe was the ‘destroyer’ or ‘sweeper’, killing whatever argument the opposition raised. Looking up and down and sideways as he spoke, he argued like a seasoned leader addressing cheering masses. ‘With such a combination, the St Peter’s team was unbeatable.’
Andrew did not, however, find all the students he admired to be sociable. Some students from wealthier backgrounds associated with each other rather than with those from poorer backgrounds like himself. He found Joe Matthews, in particular, to be easier with students from wealthy backgrounds. He seemed proud that he was born in Durban and that he was one of the five children of the learned Frieda and ZK Matthews (Frieda was born into the highly respected Bokwe Family and had studied at Fort Hare). With that kind of family and political background, he was regarded as a member of the aristocracy. ‘He therefore leaned more towards Nokwe and Mpolokeng who matched that background.’
The rich political environment of St Peter’s was to play a very significant role in Andrew’s political development. Having observed the housing problems and the beginning of the squatter movements, he had become more conscious of black politics than he had been before he came to Johannesburg. At first he thought of black politics as being simply about the poor living conditions of the blacks and the way they were treated by the political system, especially the police who enforced most of the laws that violated their freedoms.
James Sofasonke Mpanza was one of his earliest political influences. The role played by his brother Sekila in the native advisory boards had also added to his political consciousness. He had been observing most of the activities of these boards, and the issues they dealt with, for some time. Sekila used to attend community meetings at Ballendene Hall in Pimville and Andrew would sometimes accompany him. He took note of the concerns raised by community members, which were mostly about poor roads in the township, crime, poverty and segregation. Although Sekila’s influence extended only to community issues, it played a part in shaping Andrew’s political consciousness. Sekila also introduced Andrew to a ‘hangup’ place in Pimville, called Thababosiu (the name derived from the capital of the founder of the Basotho kingdom) – a place where people in the township met and socialised.
