A. P. Mda

Ashby Solomzi Peter Mda (6 April 1916 – 7 August 1993), wey people dey call A. P. Mda, be South African teacher, lawyer, political activist plus one of de people wey start de African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). He sana be one of de founders of de Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.

 Ein life matter 
Dem born Peter Mda on 6 April 1916 insyd Herschel District for Eastern Cape. Dem give am de name “Ashby” secof na dem born am on Ash Wednesday. He take de name “Peter” after he join de Catholic church.S. Dubow, A. Jeeves. South Africa’s 1940’s: World’s of Possibilities. Juta and Company, 2005

Ein mommie, Mildred Mei, be school teacher, den ein poppie, Gxumekelani Charles Mda, be peasant farmer, headman den local shoemaker.

 Education 
Mda ein parents be members of de Anglican church, but A.P. Mda plus ein siblings go de local Catholic school. Later, Mda attend other Catholic schools like St Francis School for Aliwal North den Mariazell School north of Matatiele. Mda go do Bachelor of Arts degree for University of South Africa (UNISA). He sana study law through correspondence courses den finally get ein law degree.

 Career 
After Mda qualify as teacher, he no fit get work for Eastern Cape. So he go work as gardener den cook insyd East London. He later move go Witwatersrand try get teaching job, but still he no succeed. He continue to work for Witwatersrand as gardener, cook den later for steel foundry. He finally get teaching position insyd Germiston Catholic Primary. He sana teach for St John Berchman, one primary school for Orlando, Soweto from 1938. He continue ein studies through correspondence until he finally become lawyer.

 Political career 
A. P. Mda start ein political career for de All African Convention (AAC) meeting wey happen for Bloemfontein insyd 1936. He attend de meeting to report de proceedings give Umlindi we Nyanga, one newspaper for East London. For dat meeting, A. P. Mda defend de AAC leader, D. D. T. Jabavu, wey people suspect say he betray demma mandate plus he dey deal secretly plus J. B. M. Hertzog concerning de Hertzog Bill of 1936. As support for AAC begin reduce, Mda start to push for African Nationalism, wey, according to am, no dey include non-African groups. From there, Mda come support Dr A. B. Xuma den de African National Congress (ANC).

Insyd 1940, Mda join de African Teachers Campaign wey dey ask for higher salaries, led by de Transvaal African Teachers' Association (TATA). Mda be chairman of de Pimville branch of de Salary Campaign Committee for de next TATA meeting wey happen for Wilberforce Institute. Some other members of de committee be David Bopane, Edward Manyosi, M. Maubela, M. Kekana, Sydney Maseko den E.S. Molepo. He sana be part of de Catholic African Teachers Union (CATU), wey no support de wage campaign.

Later, Mda play key role for de formation of de African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). He build strong intellectual den political bond plus Anton Lembede just after Lembede reach Johannesburg. Mda, Lembede den Jordan Ngubane, wey be assistant editor of de Bantu World, get mandate to draft de manifesto of de ANCYL. Wen Lembede die suddenly on 29 July 1947, dem make Mda de acting president of de ANCYL, den insyd 1948, dem officially elect am into de position.

Mda set up one working committee wey include Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu den Oliver Tambo to manage de activities of de ANCYL. He choose Fort Hare make dem expand demma influence, because de school get strong Black student population. ANCYL come create branches for Natal den de Cape Province. Dem officially launch de Fort Hare branch for November 1948.

Under Mda ein leadership, ANCYL start de Programme of Action (PA) for ANC ein Cape provincial office for Port Elizabeth for June 1949. ANCYL adopt de PA. As Dr. Xuma ein time as ANC leader dey reach end, Mda plus other ANCYL members begin look for person wey go support de PA for de upcoming national ANC conference for 1949. Oliver Tambo go James Moroka ein house for Bantu location to encourage am make he contest as presidential candidate. Moroka win de election as president, den dem adopt de PA for 1949 as ANC ein main guiding document. After Moroka take office, Mda step down from de ANCYL. But he still work from back make sure say de ANC keep ein nationalist principles. Later, Mda begin lose faith for Moroka ein leadership, so he write public letters of disapproval, criticize ANC leadership for de newspaper “Bantu World”. Mda observe say African Nationalism dey “water down” by Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela den Walter Sisulu, as de new leaders begin build multi-racial alliances wey include Coloured, Indian den White anti-Apartheid groups.

 Political philosophy 
People often quote Mda say he support one kind of African Nationalism wey no for dey use support segregation or separate development. Mda stand against de Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), wey fit be because of ein Catholic upbringing. He believe say CPSA get plan to enter inside de ANC den take control am.

Dem describe Mda as de “founding spirit” of de Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), wey break away from de ANC for 1959. Dis group include John Nyathi Pokela, Potlako Leballo den Robert Sobukwe. Mda be de one wey come up with de motto “Serve, Sacrifice and Suffering.” For early 1990s, Mda plus de rest of de PAC no dey quick to join de Convention for the Establishment of Democracy in South Africa, wey people know as CODESA.

 Family 
Na dem born ein kiddie, Zakes Mda, insyd Eastern Cape insyd 1948. A.P. carry all ein family go Lesotho when dem send am go exile. Throughout ein career, Mda dey charge ein clients very small money for ein services. Because of dis, ein family suffer. Later, dem come live for township insyd one house wey get rusty corrugated roof, no ceiling den no electricity. Mda die on 7 August 1993 because of heart failure.

 References 

External links

Category:1916 births
Category:1993 deaths
Category:South African people
Category:Human
Category:South African activists
Category:South African Roman Catholics
Category:Roman Catholic anti-apartheid activists
Category:African National Congress politicians
Category:Pan Africanist Congress of Azania politicians
Category:20th-century South African lawyers
Category:University of South Africa alumni