ICON OF FOCUS: Muziwakhe Anton Lembede
BIOGRAPHY
Born on, 21 March 1914, Lembede was a distinguished scholar and a highly respected legal mind and theorist. He was the founding President of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League, formed in 1944 to counteract the “passivity” of the ANC’s older leadership. He was born near Pietermaritzburg on the white-owned farm where his father worked. His mother was a teacher, and she home-schooled him until age 13.
On entering formal education, Lembede achieved exceptional results and eventually qualified as a teacher himself. In the 1930s, while stationed in the Orange Free State (and studying through Unisa), he encountered Afrikaner nationalism. Employing his training in philosophy, he espoused a rival modernized African nationalism, which advocated independence from white liberalism and international communism.
Lembede’s spirit underpinned the ANC’s new militancy and the formulation of its 1949 Programme of Action. But Lembede did not live to enjoy the movement’s successes of the 1950s (including the Defiance Campaign).
Lembede following numerous outstanding accomplishments passed on 20 July 1947 at the age of 33.
INTELLECTUAL INTERESTS
Law
Philosophy
Politics
Education
EMBO Commemoration
Embo should be premised on Afrocentricity in line with the ideological contribution of Muziwakhe Anton Lembede. The programme should be structured as follows:
A Memorial Lecture reflecting on the trajectory of Lembede's ideas and the impact they would have achieved if unimpeded. The memorial lecture would be presented by Dr. Pedro Mzileni. As a prelude to the lecture, there will be decolonial poetry to lay the foundation for the lecture.
Poets
Makhafula Vilakazi
Mak Manaka
Napo Masheane
The memorial lecture will be expanded through a panel discussion that unpacks the meaning and memory of Muziwakhe Anton Lembede.
The panel discussion moderated by Mr. Vuyisile Mshudulu will be led by:
Dr. Pedro Mzileni
Ms. Napo Masheane
Mr Jacky Shandu
COMMEMORATIVE CONCERT
The 2026 Embo Commemorative Concert will be a Sonic Revitalization of Muziwakhe Anton Lembede.
1. Tlokwe Sehume
2. Zawadi yaMungu
3. Tumi Mogorosi
4. Mntanexwele - Nkosinathi Koela
The entire programme will take place in one day. The first segment will be from 11h00 until 16h00.
The concert will be from 18h00 to 22h00
