The Individual, Auto/biography and History in South Africa

emerged with a sense of discipline and loyalty. 100 In the 1950s and early 1960s, Mqotsi
had demonstrated his commitment to the movement in his analyses of Bantu education,
in his political journalism and publishing work, and in making himself available for
senior administrative work in the movement as one of the elected Joint Secretaries and
as General Secretary of APDUSA. 101
In the first months of exile, Tabata had set himself the task of reconceptualising the
political movement under conditions of exile and internal repression. He wrote to Dora
Taylor from Swaziland that the idea was “to build a pyramidal structure with the nation
as the base and the leadership as the apex”. The people would “learn to come out of
their various localities [and] seek out the leadership wherever it is. There they should
“put their problems and get advice”. This, according to Tabata, was the way to
“establish a central command”. In his attempts to put this conception of a viable political
structure in place, Tabata wrote to Taylor: “I feel like an architect who sees his dream
structure rising from the foundations”. 102
There were a number of hurdles to solve, including the problem of internal factionalism.
He was “not going to allow a situation to develop that would lead to the formation of a
junta within the organisation”. 103 Taylor heard from Tabata how he had addressed the
problem of factionalism:
I have them a long lecture and gave them political lessons. It
is strange. Plain speaking accompanied by clarity of thought
and superiority of knowledge gathered them all together
behind me. It’s the first time I ever used my superior
experience against them and they appreciated it. 104
100 I.B. Tabata to Leo Sihlali, 25 August 1953, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
101 Ikhwezi Lomso, February 1960; Ilizwi LeSizwe, May/June 1962. It was Livingstone Mqotsi who took
public responsibility for all political comment in Ilizwi LeSizwe in the early 1960s. He was elected General
Secretary of APDUSA, Assistant Secretary of the AAC and one of the Joint Secretaries of the Unity
Movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
102 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 17 June 1963; 9 May 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
103 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 5 January 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
104 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 5 January 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
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