Donald Barkly Molteno
Encyclopedia
Donald Barkly Molteno known as Dilizintaba ("He who removes mountains"), was a South African parliamentarian
, constitutional lawyer
, champion of civil rights
and a prominent opponent of Apartheid.
He was born on 13 February 1908 in Cape Town
, in the then Cape Province
of South Africa
, into a family with a long tradition of political involvement and public service in the Cape (His grandfather, Sir JC Molteno was its first Prime Minister
). He attended Diocesan College
and Cambridge University, where in 1930 he graduated with Honours in Law and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
. After practising law for a time in London, he returned to South Africa in 1932 and was admitted as an advocate to the Bar of the Cape Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa. He was made a Q.C. in 1952 and practised at the Cape Bar until 1964.
He was also President of the Cape Bar Council from 1961 to 1963.
A Member of Parliament
for the Western Cape
constituency from 1937 until 1948, Molteno was a member of the Cape Joint Council of Europeans and Bantu, Cafda and the Civil Rights League. He was also the regional representative on the South African Institute of Race Relations in the Western Cape in 1936, and was its president from 1958 to 1960.
It was through his opposition to the segregationalist
policies of J. B. M. Hertzog that he acquired his nickname.
He was first chairman of the Liberal Party of South Africa's constitutional committee before he joined the Progressive Party (South Africa)
and became chairman of its constitutional policy commission as well. He was also one of the Counsel engaged in the constitutional cases questioning the powers of the Union Parliament of South Africa after the passing of the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
Mr Molteno was a member of the University of Cape Town
Council (from 1951 to 1960) as well as a part-time lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law at that institution. He lectured full-time at the Department of Roman Dutch Law from 1964, and in 1967 was appointed Professor of the newly created Department of Public Law.
Molteno was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Law in 1970 - a position he held until his death in 1972.
He left two children by his first wife Veronica Strömsöe and three by his second wife Mary Fleet Goldsmith.
He appears as a character in the novel 'Ah, but Your Land is Beautiful
' by his colleague and contemporary Alan Paton
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, constitutional lawyer
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
, champion of civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and a prominent opponent of Apartheid.
He was born on 13 February 1908 in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, in the then Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, into a family with a long tradition of political involvement and public service in the Cape (His grandfather, Sir JC Molteno was its first Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
). He attended Diocesan College
Diocesan College
The Diocesan College, or Bishops as it is more commonly known, is an independent, all-boys school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, South Africa...
and Cambridge University, where in 1930 he graduated with Honours in Law and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. After practising law for a time in London, he returned to South Africa in 1932 and was admitted as an advocate to the Bar of the Cape Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa. He was made a Q.C. in 1952 and practised at the Cape Bar until 1964.
He was also President of the Cape Bar Council from 1961 to 1963.
A Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
constituency from 1937 until 1948, Molteno was a member of the Cape Joint Council of Europeans and Bantu, Cafda and the Civil Rights League. He was also the regional representative on the South African Institute of Race Relations in the Western Cape in 1936, and was its president from 1958 to 1960.
It was through his opposition to the segregationalist
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
policies of J. B. M. Hertzog that he acquired his nickname.
He was first chairman of the Liberal Party of South Africa's constitutional committee before he joined the Progressive Party (South Africa)
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
and became chairman of its constitutional policy commission as well. He was also one of the Counsel engaged in the constitutional cases questioning the powers of the Union Parliament of South Africa after the passing of the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
Mr Molteno was a member of the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
Council (from 1951 to 1960) as well as a part-time lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law at that institution. He lectured full-time at the Department of Roman Dutch Law from 1964, and in 1967 was appointed Professor of the newly created Department of Public Law.
Molteno was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Law in 1970 - a position he held until his death in 1972.
He left two children by his first wife Veronica Strömsöe and three by his second wife Mary Fleet Goldsmith.
He appears as a character in the novel 'Ah, but Your Land is Beautiful
Ah, but Your Land is Beautiful
Ah, but Your Land is Beautiful is the third novel of Alan Paton, the South African author who is best known for writing Cry, the Beloved Country. Ah, but Your Land is Beautiful is an anti-apartheid novel, in a similar vein to Cry, the Beloved Country...
' by his colleague and contemporary Alan Paton
Alan Paton
Alan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed...
.
Further reading
- Scher, D: Donald Molteno - Dilizintaba - He-who-removes-mountains. Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations, 1979. ISBN 0869821725
- Molteno, D.B.: The Assault on our Liberties. Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations, 1958.
- Molteno, D.B.: Towards a democratic South Africa. Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations, 1959.
- Molteno, D.B.: The betrayal of "Natives Representation". Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations, 1959.
- Molteno, D.B.: 50 Years of Union (Presidential address). Johannesburg: South African Institute of Race Relations, 1960.
- Molteno, D.B.: The rules behind the "Rule of Law". Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press, 1965.
- Horn, P: Donald Molteno and South African Liberalism. Cape Town: UCT Press, 1979.