OPINION: Nkosi Albert Luthuli - Chief of all the people

“I SAW no real conflict in my dual leadership of my people: as chief and political leader in Congress. I saw no reason to resign from either... I do not wish to challenge my dismissal, but I would like to suggest that in the interests of the institution of chieftainship in these modern times of democracy, the government should define more precisely and make more widely known the status, functions and privileges of chiefs.

“My view has been, and still is, that a chief is primarily a servant of his people. He is the voice of his people... Unlike a Native Commissioner, he is part and parcel of his tribe, and not a local agent of government... It is inconceivable how chiefs could effectively serve the wider and common interest of their own tribe without cooperating with other leaders of the people, both the natural leaders (chiefs) and leaders elected democratically by the people themselves...”

This an extract from a statement by Nkosi Luthuli, and jointly issued by the ANC and Natal Indian Congress, in reaction to his dismissal by the National Party government from his position as the democratically elected traditional leader of aMakholwa community of Mvoti Mission Reserve, Groutville, Stanger, in November 1952.

Nkosi Luthuli was the last ANC president to lead the organisation while it was legally able to operate, until it was banned. He himself was banned, but still president, when he was killed by a train on July 21, 1967.

He was 69-years of age when he was run over while crossing a railway line in his residential area of Groutville. The National Party regime claimed his eyesight was failing; yet his family insists he could see and could hear quite well.

He was feared by the regime and suspicions abound that the government had a hand in what is considered a mysterious death.

Madlanduna, his clan name, was the epitome of a true African leader. He was a man of the people in the full sense of the word – a Christian, an educationist, music and sports lover, farmer, non-racialist, warrior, peace-lover, nationalist, statesman and traditional leader.

Because of these attributes he was, simultaneously and variously, and in equal measure, admired, loathed, feared and revered by his supporters and opponents.

Yet in spite of all this, he had no airs, no sense of self-importance, humble yet proud. Whenever Luthuli assumed his positions of leadership it was almost always at the behest of those with whom he interacted. He did not campaign to be elected. Greatness was thrust upon him. People had to prevail upon him to take up leadership positions.

On one occasion he found himself called upon to assume the leadership of the ANC in Natal, to replace Dr Langalibalele Dube (uMafukuzela), who had suffered a stroke. The person appointed by Dube to act was unable to conduct the meeting and, to avoid an imminent premature and chaotic closure of the meeting, Madlanduna took over the chair, called for order, asked for the appointment of a chairman, and was duly elected to do the honours. That was how he began to be leader of the Congress (as he preferred to call the ANC).

The position of traditional leader of aMakholwa at the Mvoti Mission Reserve was an elective, as opposed to a hereditary, one. This was a community made up of Christian converts from various surrounding Zulu communities under their respective traditional leaders. The traditional leader of the land was prevailed upon by the missionaries to facilitate the selection of a traditional leader to rule over the converts (amakholwa).

The first leader did not last for long, apparently due to the fact that, as a non-convert, he was at variance with the acquired values of his wards. From then hence the community elected four of its six leaders from the House of Luthuli.

When Luthuli was nominated to be inkosi he was a teacher at Adams College. Madlanduna accepted nomination and was duly elected although as inkosi his stipend was far lower than the salary he earned as a teacher. He saw the cut in salary as a necessary sacrifice for the greater cause of giving enlightened leadership to his people.

As traditional leader he continued to interact with Mafukuzela in his capacity as leader of Congress, participating as the latter did in the affairs of the Zulu kingdom as adviser to the king, and at another stage as a member of the Natives` Representative Council.

He was quite close to the Zulu royal house and other traditional leaders of the province. The current Zulu monarch, King Zwelithini, tells of Luthuli visiting his father, King Nyangayezizwe Cyprian, and the Special Branch coming to look for him. The king hid him under his bed. The police searched everywhere, including the king’s bedroom, but could not find him.

When at a later stage he became a member of the Natives’ Representative Council (NRC), he did not hesitate to support motions that precipitated its demise. This was, of course, a dummy body, famously referred to as a “toy telephone”. It was meant to hoodwink Africans into believing it was a forum that allowed their leaders to participate in government. Luthuli played no small part in ensuring it died a natural death.

As traditional leader, Madlanduna was further exposed to the duplicity of government officials. He was a farmer who saw himself as a commercial cane grower. He encouraged his people to immerse themselves in agriculture and facilitated the formation of various cane-growers associations throughout Natal and Zululand. The present SA Sugar Association owes its origins to him.

Agricultural demonstrators, equivalents of present-day extension officers, who were meant to support and mentor Africans to become successful farmers, did all they could to undermine Luthuli’s efforts. They would come in the ploughing and planting seasons to advise the farmers , but leave them and not return until after the harvest, having failed to train them on how to grow the crops.

Those who managed to bring out a good crop were not assisted to get the harvest to profitable markets. It was because of Madlanduna’s leadership that farmers managed to register some successes.

Because of his leadership duties Luthuli never had time to rest. He was devoted to his wife, Nokukhanya, and doted on his children. Yet, he was always called away from home. In Mam’uNokukhanya, born Bhengu of the Ngcolosi clan, Luthuli had a highly intelligent, hard-working wife. She walked the whole distance of struggle with him. They were one in thought, sharing the same values and convictions.

As a Christian he held leadership positions in his church. He interacted with various denominations through their leaders as members of the Christian Council of SA. The religious wing of the National Party government, the Dutch Reformed Church, later broke away from this Council because of its efforts at non-racialism Its leaders were so racist that prayers directed by white leaders had to be conducted separately.

In spite of all the negativity Luthuli never despaired. He continued to have faith that some day they would see the folly of their ways.

Humble though he was, Luthuli was a charismatic leader. Wherever he went throngs of people would come out to see him, to listen to him, to admire him, to marvel at him.

Naturally, this did not sit well with the oppressors. They saw him as a dangerous man who had to be contained. The fear and loathing got worse after Luthuli was elected president of the ANC. Yet even as he served one or other of many banning orders, people continued to revere him as their leader.

In his autobiography, Let My People Go he manages, with his hallmark modesty, to narrate of instances where, when getting out of trains in Johannesburg or Durban, he found himself moving for metres without touching the ground, held shoulder high by supporters.

Luthuli never campaigned for the leadership positions he held.

But by 1952 when he was elected president-general of the ANC he was no longer just inkosi of aMakholwa, but was the people’s Chief at a national level.

Till the day he died he remained the chief of the people.

It is a matter of public record that Nkosi Luthuli was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize because of his continued belief in the pursuance of the goal of freedom, justice and democracy even in the face of the most brutal of regimes on earth.

He was the first African to receive such an award.

Naturally, there are lessons to be learnt from Madlanduna’s experiences. In whatever field he operated he gave all of himself, with little consideration to himself – be it as politician, farmer, teacher, traditional leader, religious leader, sportsman, parent or husband.

We can all learn from his example of how to be the ideal leader.

Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa (A! Dilizintaba) is head of the Hegebe clan and Deputy Minister of Labour. This is an edited version of tribute which he wrote in 2007