Chief Albert Lutuli

Introduction

Chief Albert John Lutuli, the beloved President-General of
the African National Congress (SA); one of Africa's greatest political figures
of our times; the undisputed leader of and respected spokesman for South Africa's
14 million oppressed, exploited and humiliated inhabitants, passed from the
scene of active struggle for political rights and national liberation in July,1967,
when it is alleged he was run over by a train.

Chief Lutuli was a profound thinker, a man of powerful logic with a keen
sense of justice; a man of lofty principles, a bold andcourageous
fighter and a statesman. He was a true African nationalist and an
unflinching patriot. Although he grew up under tribal conditions and
surroundings, he was uncompromising against racialism; tribalism and all forms
of racial and sectional exclusiveness. He believed in and fought for full
political, economic and social opportunities for the oppressed people of South
Africa regardless of colour, creed, nationality or racial origin. A staunch
anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist, he fought and obtained the co-operation of
all anti-apartheid, anti-imperialist progressive movements and organisations in
South Africa.

As a practising Christian, Chief Lutuli genuinely and sincerely believed in
the well-being, happiness and dignity of all human beings. Because of his
convictions, he sacrificed all prospects of personal gains and comforts and
dedicated his life to the cause and service of his fellowmen.

Chief Lutuli was born in 1898, away from Groutville but returned as a child
to his ancestral home. He was educated in Mission Schools and at Adam's College
in Natal where he later taught until 1936. In answer to repeated calls and
requests from the elders of his tribe to come home and lead them, he left
teaching that year to become chief of the tribe. He was not a hereditary chief
as his tribe had a democratic system of electing its chiefs.

As far as the Africans were concerned,1936 was a year of political
disturbances, economic plunder and uncertainty in South Africa. That year, the
country was faced with the notorious Hertzog Bills. One of the Bills known as
the "Representation of Natives Act" which rendered the then African
vote in the Cape Province valueless. Under it the Native Representative Council
was established. The other, the "Natives Land and Trust Bill", sought
to limit the land to be owned or occupied by the African population of 12
million to 12.5 per cent of the land, while reserving the remaining 87.5 per
cent for a population of less than 3 million Whites.

From the inception of his new calling, Chief Lutuli was brought face to face
with ruthless African political, social and economic realities - those of
rightlessness and landlessness of his people. The futility and limited nature of
tribal affairs and politics made him look for a higher and broader form of
organisation and struggle which was national in character.

Joined ANC

With this background, Chief Lutuli openly and boldly joined the struggle for
the right of Africans to full and unfettered development. He joined the African
National Congress in 1945. In 1946, he entered the then Native Representative
Council. At that stage, however, the Council had for all intents and purposes
come to its end. It was a useless and frustrating talking shop that had been
brought to a standstill by the protest of members who questioned the brutal and
savage methods employed by the police in dealing with the African miners' strike
on the Witwatersrand in August 1946. It had also called upon the Government to
abolish all discriminatory laws and demanded for a new policy towards the
African population. It never met again and was eventually abolished by the
Government. Chief Lutuli was elected Provincial President of the African
National Congress in Natal in 1951. From that time he threw himself body and
soul into the struggle. As a chief he was not allowed to take part in politics.
But he defied his ban. When he was called upon by the Government to choose
between his chieftainship and the African National Congress, he chose the
African National Congress. He was deposed in 1952 and elected President-General
of the African National Congress by his people the same year.

Chief Lutuli was a determined and courageous fighter, shaped and steeled in
the various political and economic struggles that took place throughout the
country. There were many bold and imaginative political and economic campaigns
for demands envisaged both in the 1949 Programme of Action adopted by the ANC,
and in the Freedom Charter. Some of the campaigns were violent, bitter and grim.
These usually took the form of.

Militant Fighter

There is a wrong and unfortunate impression that Chief Lutuli was a pacifist,
or some kind of an apostle of nonviolence. This impression is incorrect and
misleading. The policy of non-violence was formulated and adopted by national
conferences of the African National Congress before he was elected
President-General of the organisation. The policy was adopted in 1951 specially
for the conduct of the "National Campaign for Defiance of Unjust Laws"
in 1952. What is correct, however, is that as a man of principle and as a leader
of unquestionable integrity, Chief Lutuli defended the policy entrusted to him
by his organisation and saw to that it was implemented. When that policy was
officially and constitutionally changed, he did not falter.

Chief Lutuli was fundamentally a militant, disciplined and an uncompromising
fighter who had joined and led an organisation of men who, like himself,
honoured and respected the decision and resolutions of their conferences.
Through his sincerity, devotion and dedication to the cause of African freedom
and progress he was held in high esteem by all men of goodwill in South Africa
and the world. . . These qualities also earned him hatred and the wrath of the
enemy. Through fear of his ideas and stand the enemy banned and confined him to
the Lower Tugela area from 1952 till his death on 21st July, 1967. His first ban
for two years was in 1952. It was renewed in 1954. In 1959 he was banned for a
further period of five (5) years which was again renewed when it expired. But he
continued with political work till the last days of his life.

Charged with Treason

Notwithstanding the fact that he had been confined for practically all the
time of his leadership of the African National Congress, he was arrested in 1956
and, together with other leaders of the liberation movement, was charged with
High Treason. The trial opened in January, 1957 and concluded on 29th March 1961
when all the accused were found not guilty. Together with 2,000 other leaders he
was arrested and detained for five months in 1960 under the State of Emergency
declared by the South African Government on March 29th,1960

Chief Lutuli was truly a great political personality and leader. But his
political greatness and organisational achievements cannot be divorced from his
organisation and colleagues, some of whom have been hanged and others who are
languishing in the prisons of the oppressors; men who assisted him in solving
problems and in shouldering the heavy task of leadership, men whom he so ably
led and directed during difficult and trying times.

The collection of speeches published here show the clearsightedness of this
great leader. What is more it shows that the African National Congress did all
in its power to change the policies of the racist regime in South Africa through
peaceful means. It is only when every effort for a peaceful change was met by
police violence and brutality did the decision to resort to armed struggle adopted
by the organisation.

Editor: ANC South African Studies