Frank Chikane
Encyclopedia
Frank Chikane is a South Africa
n civil servant, writer and cleric. He is a member of the African National Congress
.
. As the son of a preacher in the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
, a South African Pentecostal church, Chikane was able to receive an education. After finishing primary school, Chikane went to the University of the North to study sciences in hopes of becoming a physician. However, while at the university, Chikane became involved in the Black Consciousness Movement
(or the Stephen Biko movement), and met future post-apartheid South African leader and businessman, Cyril Ramaphosa
, among others, the chair-person of Bidvest, a business listed on the JSE.
Chikane led protests at the university against apartheid, which resulted in his leaving the university without a degree in 1975. In early 1977, while working in the AFM as a layman, he was detained for a month under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967
but was eventually released after a judge dismissed his case. Chikane was eventually ordained by the church in 1980, when he began advocating social programs such as a soup kitchen and adult education within the church for its primarily African population.
For these actions, Chikane was suspended from the conservative minded AFM in 1981, which would last until his reinstatement in 1990. After suspension from the AFM, Chikane joined the Institute for Contextual Theology, a Christian think-tank inside of the South African Council of Churches
which promoted Liberation Theology
of which he became the general-secretary of in 1987. On August 20, 1983 the United Democratic Front (South Africa)
was launched in the Rocklands community hall, Mitchell's Plain, near Cape Town. After a conference of delegates from 565 organisations (400 were already members), a public rally was held, attended by about 10 000 people. Frank Chikane, the first major speaker, called the day "a turning point in the struggle for freedom". In 1985, Chikane was one of the leading promoters of the Kairos Document
, a leading Christian denunciation of Apartheid.
In late 1989, agents of the apartheid government attempted to assassinate Chikane by lacing his underwear with poison, two of the suspects being former Police Minister Adriaan Vlok
and his then police chief Johan van der Merwe. Each of them received suspended 10-year sentences. Vlok sought forgiveness from Rev. Chikane in 2006 by washing his feet.
From 1987 to 1994, Chikane was secretary general of the SACC. In 1995 he earned a master of public administration
from the Harvard Kennedy School. From 1997 onward, he has been a member of the African National Congress' National Executive Committee. Since 1999, Chikane has been the Director General of the presidency of South Africa
under Thabo Mbeki
. He was also consulting for Presidents Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma
. He is currently the President of The AFM International an international religious body to promote the image of the Apostolic Faith Mission worldwide and to coordinate fellowship between AFM National Churches in all countries.
He recently published politically charged articles in one of South Africa's national newspapers the Star. These articles served as a memoir of his time in government and were dubbed The Chikane Files.
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...
n civil servant, writer and cleric. He is a member of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
.
Biography
Chikane grew up in SowetoSoweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
. As the son of a preacher in the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa is a classical Pentecostal Christian denomination in South Africa. With 1.2 million adherents, it is South Africa's largest Pentecostal church. Dr. Isak Burger has led the AFM as president since 1996 when the white and black branches of the church were...
, a South African Pentecostal church, Chikane was able to receive an education. After finishing primary school, Chikane went to the University of the North to study sciences in hopes of becoming a physician. However, while at the university, Chikane became involved in the Black Consciousness Movement
Black Consciousness Movement
The Black Consciousness Movement was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville Massacre in...
(or the Stephen Biko movement), and met future post-apartheid South African leader and businessman, Cyril Ramaphosa
Cyril Ramaphosa
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African lawyer, trade union leader, activist, politician and businessman. He was born in Soweto, Gauteng province...
, among others, the chair-person of Bidvest, a business listed on the JSE.
Chikane led protests at the university against apartheid, which resulted in his leaving the university without a degree in 1975. In early 1977, while working in the AFM as a layman, he was detained for a month under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967
Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967
The Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967 was a law of the South African Apartheid regime until all except section 7 was repealed under the Internal Security and Intimidation Amendment Act 138 of 1991.-Detention without trial:...
but was eventually released after a judge dismissed his case. Chikane was eventually ordained by the church in 1980, when he began advocating social programs such as a soup kitchen and adult education within the church for its primarily African population.
For these actions, Chikane was suspended from the conservative minded AFM in 1981, which would last until his reinstatement in 1990. After suspension from the AFM, Chikane joined the Institute for Contextual Theology, a Christian think-tank inside of the South African Council of Churches
South African Council of Churches
The South African Council of Churches is an interdenominational forum in South Africa. It was a prominent anti-apartheid organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé and Frank Chikane....
which promoted Liberation Theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
of which he became the general-secretary of in 1987. On August 20, 1983 the United Democratic Front (South Africa)
United Democratic Front (South Africa)
The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
was launched in the Rocklands community hall, Mitchell's Plain, near Cape Town. After a conference of delegates from 565 organisations (400 were already members), a public rally was held, attended by about 10 000 people. Frank Chikane, the first major speaker, called the day "a turning point in the struggle for freedom". In 1985, Chikane was one of the leading promoters of the Kairos Document
Kairos Document
The Kairos Document is a theological statement issued in 1985 by a group of black South African theologians based predominantly in the black townships of Soweto, South Africa. The statement challenged the churches' response to what the authors saw as the vicious policies of the Apartheid state...
, a leading Christian denunciation of Apartheid.
In late 1989, agents of the apartheid government attempted to assassinate Chikane by lacing his underwear with poison, two of the suspects being former Police Minister Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Johannes Vlok was Minister of Law and Order in South Africa from 1986 to 1991 in the final years of the apartheid era...
and his then police chief Johan van der Merwe. Each of them received suspended 10-year sentences. Vlok sought forgiveness from Rev. Chikane in 2006 by washing his feet.
From 1987 to 1994, Chikane was secretary general of the SACC. In 1995 he earned a master of public administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the Harvard Kennedy School. From 1997 onward, he has been a member of the African National Congress' National Executive Committee. Since 1999, Chikane has been the Director General of the presidency of South Africa
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
under Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
. He was also consulting for Presidents Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
. He is currently the President of The AFM International an international religious body to promote the image of the Apostolic Faith Mission worldwide and to coordinate fellowship between AFM National Churches in all countries.
He recently published politically charged articles in one of South Africa's national newspapers the Star. These articles served as a memoir of his time in government and were dubbed The Chikane Files.