Z. K. Mathews
Encyclopedia
Zachariah Keodirelang "ZK" Matthews (1901 - May 1968) was a prominent black academic in South Africa
, lecturing at South African Native College
(since 1955 University of Fort Hare), where many future leaders of the African continent were among his students.
Z.K. was born in Winter's Rush near Kimberley in 1901, the son of a Bamangwato mineworker. Z.K. grew up in urban Kimberley, but maintained close connections with his mother’s rural Barolong relatives. He went to Mission high school in the eastern Cape where he attended Lovedale
. After Lovedale he studied at South African Native College in Fort Hare, and in 1923 he wrote the external examination of the University of South Africa
.
In 1925 he was appointed head of the high school at Adams College in Natal, where Albert Luthuli was also a teacher. With Luthuli he attended meetings of the Durban Joint Council and held office in the Natal Teacher’s Association, of which he eventually became President.
It was while he was in Natal, in 1928, that he married Frieda Bokwe, daughter of John Knox Bokwe, whom he had met as a student at Fort Hare. His son, Joe
, was born in 1929 in Durban
.
In 1930 after private study, he earned an LLB degree in South Africa, a degree he was awarded once again by the University of South Africa. He was admitted as an attorney and practiced for a short time in Alice. In 1933 he was invited to study at Yale University
in the United States, and there in the following year he completed an MA. He then went on to spend a year at the London School of Economics
where he studied anthropology under Bronisław Malinowski.
He returned to South Africa in 1935 and in 1936 was appointed Lecturer in Social Anthropology and Native Law and Administration at University of Fort Hare. After Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu’s retirement in 1944, Z.K. was promoted to Professor and became head of Fort Hare’s Department of African Studies.
Z.K. did not confine himself to academic studies; he combined his study of anthropology and the law with an active political involvement. He found his true political home in the ANC. He had attended meetings of Congress as a boy in the company of Sol Plaatje
, a senior relative, but it was only in 1940 that he became a member of the organisation. In 1943 he was elected to the National Executive Committee and at the same time he became a member of the Native Representative Council, a purely advisory body that has been condemned as a “toy telephone” and which Z.K. found generally frustrating, although he found dealing with the Native Education Act of 1945 a “valuable experience” not for the process but for the people he met. In June 1949 Z.K. succeeded James Calata as ANC
provincial president in the Cape.
In June 1952, on the eve of the Defiance Campaign
, he left South Africa, and took up a position as visiting professor at New York’s Union Theological Seminary
. He returned home in May 1953, and although he was not present at the Congress of the People
in 1955 he assisted Lionel 'Rusty' Bernstein
draw up the Freedom Charter
that was adopted there.
Z.K. was arrested in December 1956, and was one of the accused in the Treason Trial
. On his release from the trial in late 1958, he returned to Fort Hare, but resigned his post in protest against the passing of legislation which reduced the university to an ethnic college for the Xhosa community only. In 1961 he moved to Geneva to become secretary of the Africa division of the World Council of Churches
. In 1966 he accepted the post of Botswana ambassador to the United States and he died there in Washington in May 1968.
An interview with Matthews conducted by George M. Houser in September 1954 is available at http://www.africanactivist.msu.edu
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...
, lecturing at South African Native College
University of Fort Hare
The University of Fort Hare is a public university in Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was a key institution in higher education for black Africans from 1916 to 1959. It offered a Western-style, academically excellent education to students from across sub-Saharan Africa, creating a black...
(since 1955 University of Fort Hare), where many future leaders of the African continent were among his students.
Z.K. was born in Winter's Rush near Kimberley in 1901, the son of a Bamangwato mineworker. Z.K. grew up in urban Kimberley, but maintained close connections with his mother’s rural Barolong relatives. He went to Mission high school in the eastern Cape where he attended Lovedale
Lovedale (South Africa)
Lovedale was a mission station and educational institute in the VictoriaEast division of the Cape Province, South Africa...
. After Lovedale he studied at South African Native College in Fort Hare, and in 1923 he wrote the external examination of the University of South Africa
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
.
In 1925 he was appointed head of the high school at Adams College in Natal, where Albert Luthuli was also a teacher. With Luthuli he attended meetings of the Durban Joint Council and held office in the Natal Teacher’s Association, of which he eventually became President.
It was while he was in Natal, in 1928, that he married Frieda Bokwe, daughter of John Knox Bokwe, whom he had met as a student at Fort Hare. His son, Joe
Joe Matthews (politician)
Vincent Joseph Gaobakwe Matthews was a South African activist and politician.Matthews was the son of Z. K. Matthews, an early leader of the African National Congress . He was born on June 17, 1929 in the port city of Durban...
, was born in 1929 in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
.
In 1930 after private study, he earned an LLB degree in South Africa, a degree he was awarded once again by the University of South Africa. He was admitted as an attorney and practiced for a short time in Alice. In 1933 he was invited to study at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in the United States, and there in the following year he completed an MA. He then went on to spend a year at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
where he studied anthropology under Bronisław Malinowski.
He returned to South Africa in 1935 and in 1936 was appointed Lecturer in Social Anthropology and Native Law and Administration at University of Fort Hare. After Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu’s retirement in 1944, Z.K. was promoted to Professor and became head of Fort Hare’s Department of African Studies.
Z.K. did not confine himself to academic studies; he combined his study of anthropology and the law with an active political involvement. He found his true political home in the ANC. He had attended meetings of Congress as a boy in the company of Sol Plaatje
Sol Plaatje
Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje was a South African intellectual, journalist, linguist, politician, translator, and writer. The Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, which includes the city of Kimberley, was named after him.-Early life:...
, a senior relative, but it was only in 1940 that he became a member of the organisation. In 1943 he was elected to the National Executive Committee and at the same time he became a member of the Native Representative Council, a purely advisory body that has been condemned as a “toy telephone” and which Z.K. found generally frustrating, although he found dealing with the Native Education Act of 1945 a “valuable experience” not for the process but for the people he met. In June 1949 Z.K. succeeded James Calata as ANC
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...
provincial president in the Cape.
In June 1952, on the eve of the Defiance Campaign
Defiance Campaign
The Defiance Campaign against Unjust Laws was presented by the African National Congress at a conference held in Bloemfontein, South Africa in December 1951....
, he left South Africa, and took up a position as visiting professor at New York’s Union Theological Seminary
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
. He returned home in May 1953, and although he was not present at the Congress of the People
Congress of the People
The Congress of the People met in Kliptown, Soweto, Johannesburg on June 26, 1955 to lay out the vision of the South African people. The Freedom Charter was the core statement of principles of the Congress Alliance, consisting of the African National Congress , the South African Indian Congress,...
in 1955 he assisted Lionel 'Rusty' Bernstein
Lionel Bernstein
Lionel "Rusty" Bernstein was a South African anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner.-Early life:Bernstein was born in Durban, the youngest of four children of Jewish émigrés from Europe. He was orphaned at eight years old, and brought up by relatives, after which he was sent to finish his...
draw up the Freedom Charter
Freedom Charter
The Freedom Charter was the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the African National Congress and its allies - the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured People's Congress...
that was adopted there.
Z.K. was arrested in December 1956, and was one of the accused in the Treason Trial
Treason Trial
The Treason Trial was a trial in which 156 people, including Nelson Mandela, were arrested in a raid and accused of treason in South Africa in 1956....
. On his release from the trial in late 1958, he returned to Fort Hare, but resigned his post in protest against the passing of legislation which reduced the university to an ethnic college for the Xhosa community only. In 1961 he moved to Geneva to become secretary of the Africa division of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
. In 1966 he accepted the post of Botswana ambassador to the United States and he died there in Washington in May 1968.
An interview with Matthews conducted by George M. Houser in September 1954 is available at http://www.africanactivist.msu.edu