The Individual, Auto/biography and History in South Africa

The movement’s ‘architect’ also recommended that African states be approached “from
a position of strength”. As writing had been the movement’s “forte”, he impressed upon
the “fellows” how important it was to keep writing for the purpose of publication and
distribution. 105
This was a challenge that Livingstone Mqotsi accepted keenly soon after his arrival in
Lusaka. When he arrived in about October 1964, he moved in with Tabata and Jane
Gool. Tabata described him as “not an easy man”, who had “lived alone all his life” and
“acquired the habit of silence so that you do not know what he is thinking”. However,
Tabata added that Mqotsi “was melting a bit”. 106 A few months later, Tabata was moved
to confront Mqotsi, who had given him “cause to worry”. 107 In his account of this
emerging tension, Tabata reported that it had dissipated and that Mqotsi had
succumbed in the face of the ‘superiority’ of his leadership:
I told him he is now a grown up man. He must behave like
one. I gave him a long lecture. Afterwards I was shocked at
myself for talking in this fashion to another man. Believe it
or not. The effect was terrific. He changed visibly. That same
night he was bustling next to me and participating in
discussions, supporting me and underscoring the important
points I had made. He is now happy at my side. 108
It was in this relationship that Mqotsi agreed to draft an article on the birth of the AAC
and the Unity Movement as part of the movement’s programme of writing as politics.
As soon as he had presented the article, however, Tabata rejected it. “After a full
discussion”, Mqotsi agreed to rewrite the piece. “It is strange how young he is”, Tabata
wrote to Taylor. “Fortunately he is very pleasant and willing to learn”. 109 Shortly after
his arrival into the thick of exile politics of southern African liberation movements in the
setting of the Liberation Centre in Lusaka, Mqotsi threw himself into anti‐imperialist
activism and writing. He was one of the key persons behind the establishment of a
105 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 9 May 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
106 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 21 October 1964, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
107 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 5 January 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
108 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 5 January 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
109 I.B. Tabata to Dora Taylor, 9 May 1965, I.B. Tabata Collection, BC 925.
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