"A political animal, a giant and an intellectual." Those were but a few words in which Professor Reverend Tshepo Lephakga used to describe the renowned struggle icon Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. Professor Reverend Lephaga was addressing multitudes during the inaugural Robert Sobukwe Memorial Lecture at the Sol Plaatje University on Tuesday, 27 February 2018. The lecture was aimed at commemorating 40th year anniversary since the death of Sobukwe.
The auditorium was overflowing with intellectuals and community members who were urged to learn more about the stalwart. Professor Lephaga touched on the imprisonment of Sobukwe on Robben Island. He says the system had resorted to keep Sobukwe in a solitary confinement as they feared that he would influence his fellow inmates in a way that could jeopardise the system. "He was deemed dangerous by the National Party hence Sobukwe was held in solitary confinement, away from other prisoners, being defiant and radical he was banned from having human interactions with other inmates. The apartheid government made his living conditions unbearable in order to break his spirit, but he remained true to his principles." said Prof Lephaga.
Sobukwe spoke strongly of how black Africans need to liberate themselves from the oppressor. Professor Lephaga says Sobukwe believed in self, suffer and sacrifice principle. His strong convictions and active resistance inspired many other individuals and organizations involved in the anti-apartheid movement. He was released in 1969 under house arrest laws and banished to Kimberley, an area where he could not foster subversive activities. He completed his law degree and established a law firm for the interest of protecting those held unlawfully by the apartheid government.
Fellow counterparts and friends of Sobukwe were in attendance namely Mr Schoolboy " Bra Scholar" Sekgoro and Mrs Kemamang Tshalabala who was the very first employee of Sobukwe's law firm. Mr. Sekgoro was scheduled to say a few words about the stalwart but got very emotional and could not do so. "I was taken aback by the lecture, I am not the only one who lived with him, there are many others, so I saw it fit to just be a guest".
During a brief interview with Mr. Sekgoro, he defined Sobukwe as an open and frank individual. "He would not keep things away from you." says Sekgoro. His unrelenting belief for the redistribution of land to black Africans was the reason why Sobukwe left the African National Congress to form his own movement the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. Sekgoro mentioned how he posed questions to Sobukwe, "How can you be so fearless, moving away from the movement?", Sobukwe answered him by saying "I serve the people and if it means I have to stand alone I will". Sekgoro defined Sobukwe as a selfless human being, powerful and passionate for the growth of his people, "Many say Mandela died for the land, but Sobukwe was killed for the land."
