Clarence Makwetu

Clarence Mlami Makwetu (6 December 1928 – 1 April 2016) be South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, den leader of de Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) during de historic 1994 elections.

 Personal life 
Na dem born Clarence Mlami Makwetu for 6 December 1928 insyd Hoyita, Cofimvaba, wey dey de bantustan of Transkei. E be de second born out of five pikin dem for Minah den Gqongo Makwetu. Dem school am for Keilands Mission School insyd Stutterheim district, den e complete ein secondary school for Lovedale, wey dey near Alice for Eastern Cape. Makwetu lef Transkei go Cape Town, wey dem no dey allow African people enter dat time, after e do small casual work for Port Elizabeth for late 1940s. Insyd Cape Town, na Chris Hani ein senior brother wey welcome am, since dem be paddy. E work small for factory wey dey produce children ein toys, but e lef de work sake of say police dey do pass raids. Makwetu come turn self-employed, dey sell different kind goods from ein flat for Langa before e enter de liberation struggle for 1952.

 Anti-apartheid activity 
Clarence Makwetu take enter de liberation struggle wen e join de 1952 Defiance Campaign, wey be anti-apartheid pass law campaign wey de African National Congress organize. For 1954, e don join de ANC Youth League as member. But as e no dey satisfied plus how de ANC dey take handle de liberation fight, Makwetu come follow de Africanist group wey Robert Sobukwe dey lead. Dis Africanist group dey believe say “Africa for Africa,” wey mean say na African people suppose determine demma own future. On 6 April 1959, Makwetu plus other Africanists like Potlako Leballo form de Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) under Robert Sobukwe ein leadership for Orlando Community Hall insyd Soweto. One main reason wey make Makwetu support de PAC na because dem get strong commitment to give back de land to African people. Makwetu come become PAC secretary for Langa Flats. As Sobukwe dey lead thousands of people go protest against pass laws for Sharpville on 21 March 1960, Makwetu too be part of de 6000 men wey gather go march reach Langa police station for de same reason on dat same day. On 30 March 1960, government declare state of emergency, den dem arrest Makwetu from March till September 1960. Na during dis same time dem ban de PAC.

Insyd August 1961, dem arrest Clarence Makwetu insyd Cape Town den carry am go Transkei wey dem come banish am. Just one month later, dem detain am again from September 1961 go February 1962. As dem release am, e go back Cape Town, but dem arrest am again den send am back to Cofimvaba. Insyd April 1963, dem arrest am again plus charge am say e dey promote de goals of de banned PAC. Dem try am insyd Ngcobo den sentence am to five years for prison. As dem dey carry am go Robben Island, dem first stop for Stellenbosch make e face more charges, but for there dem acquit am. While Makwetu dey Robben Island, e become companion to Nelson Mandela as dem both dey B Section of de prison. After e serve ein five-year sentence, dem release am from Robben Island for 1968 den carry am back go Transkei, where dem restrict am for two years until 1970. Later, e get job as clerk near Qamata for one building company wey dey pay am R39 per month. E get one plot of land insyd irrigation scheme den start crop farming. Insyd June 1976 during de Soweto uprisings, dem detain am again till May 1977 accuse am say e dey do underground activities. Transkei Police arrest am again for July 1979 den detain am till October dat same year. By December 1979, Kaiser Daliwonga Matanzima banish am again to Libode district for five years until October 1984 wey dem allow am return to Cofimvaba. But even as e return, dem still see am as threat, so dem detain am again for August 1986 for four months. Insyd 1989, Pan African Movement (PAM) launch den Makwetu become de leader. Then insyd December 1990, after dem unban de PAC, Makwetu become de president.

 Political career 
Insyd April 1992, Makwetu talk for ein political party demma Annual Congress say de PAC no dey against say make dem join de negotiations to end apartheid, so far as de negotiations go happen for "neutral venue under neutral chairman." For de Codesa talks, PAC argue say any agreement wey no handle de land matter no be correct one, but dis argument no succeed, wey make confusion start inside de party about whether dem for join de 1994 elections or not. Makwetu talk say make dem join de election, den e instruct de party ein military wing, Azanian People's Liberation Army (Apla), make dem stop de armed struggle. But as de party no fully support de campaign, dem win only five seats for de historic first non-racial election. For 1994, Makwetu become one of de three PAC Members of Parliament for South Africa ein first democratic Parliament.

Insyd 1996, dem remove Makwetu as leader, accuse am say e spoil de party ein name, then e comot politics. After dem expel am from de PAC for 1997, Makwetu form den lead de Pan Africanist Movement (PAM). Makwetu ein nephew, Mazwi, talk say ein uncle later focus on land activism for ein hometown Cofimvaba inside de former Transkei, where e get farm, livestock den plenty land.

 Awards 
Insyd 2004, Makwetu receive de Order of Luthuli in Silver from President Thabo Mbeki for how e take contribute to de fight for non-racial, non-sexist, just den democratic South Africa.

 Death den legacy 
Makwetu die on 1 April 2016 as e be 88 years old, den dem bury am on 16 April 2016. E leave ein wife Mandisa den two sons behind.

ANC big man Ahmed Kathrada talk say for political circles, Makwetu be man wey people respect for ein discipline. Kathrada talk say, “Makwetu be person wey everybody for politics respect, even from different sides, because of how disciplined e be. E be one person I fit talk politics plus am without fear say e go insult me... When e join we for jail (Robben Island) after we, everybody shock say e conduct clean. E always preach unity, wey no be how most PAC people dey think.”
 References 

External links
 Clarence Mlami Makwetu

Category:1928 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:South African people
Category:Human
Category:Pan Africanist Congress of Azania politicians
Category:African den Black nationalists
Category:South African anti-apartheid activists
Category:Inmates of Robben Island
Category:Members of de National Assembly of South Africa 1994–1999
Category:People dem acquit of treason
Category:South African politicians dem convict of crimes
Category:South African prisoners den detainees
Category:South African revolutionaries
Category:Recipients of de Order of Luthuli
Category:20th-century South African politicians