Matthew Goniwe

Matthew Goniwe OLS (27 December 1947 – 27 June 1985) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and one of The Cradock Four murdered by the South African Police in 1985.

Early years Goniwe was the youngest of eight children. His parents, David and Elizabeth Goniwe, were farm labourers and lived in the Emaqgubeni section of the old Cradock, Eastern Cape township. His family later moved to Lingelihle Township in 1962 as Emaqgumeni was demolished through the Group Areas Act.

Education Goniwe attended St James' Primary School and Sam Xhallie Secondary School, where he obtained his Junior Certificate. He obtained a teachers' diploma from University of Fort Hare and returned to Sam Xhallie School to teach mathematics and science. In 1958, he joined the African National Congress and in 1960, while in the process of completing his primary school, he joined the local communist party. He attended underground political classes of the ANC and the South African Communist Party. He was introduced into politics by his older brother Jamani Jacques Goniwe. From 1961 to 1963, he completed part of his high schooling at Cradock Bantu Secondary. From 1964 until 1965, he completed his matric standard at Healdtown College near Fort Beaufort and became a member of the Moral Regeneration Movement (an organisation aimed at instilling morality amongst young people) and of the Healdtown Church Choir.

Work Goniwe obtained his first teaching post at Cradock Bantu Secondary where he taught mathematics and science. In 1972, he left his job to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree at Fort Hare but was told that spaces were reserved for students straight from high school. He then taught briefly at Sithebe Secondary School. In 1973, he joined Holomisa High School at Mqanduli in Bityi Village. The school was situated in a dilapidated church building which he helped to renovate. He then established a feeding scheme, school choir, debating society and boxing, rugby and soccer clubs. In 1975, he married Nyameka who later qualified as a social worker. They had two children, Nobuzwe and Nyaniso. After the formation of the United Democratic Front on 20 August 1983, CRADORA became one of its affiliates. On 30 March 1984, Goniwe, Fort Calata, Madoda Jacobs and Mbulelo Goniwe were detained on the suspicion that they were instigators of the school boycott which directly and indirectly led to further school boycotts within many communities in South Africa. Louis le Grange was Minister of Law and Order at the time and banned all meetings for three months, leading to further riots breaking out. While in detention, he was dismissed from his teaching post. Goniwe was released to a rapturous welcome on 10 October 1984 and called for a "Black Christmas", extending the boycott of white-owned shops. He then joined the Black Sash movement which assisted with the crisis in Cradock's schools. The boycott was called off in April 1985. Goniwe's burnt, stabbed and mutilated body was found a number of days later. A funeral was held for Goniwe, Calata, Mkhonto and Mhlauli on 20 July 1985 where Allan Boesak, Beyers Naudé and Steve Tshwete gave keynote addresses. A message from the then president of the ANC Oliver Tambo was read.

Memorials After the end of apartheid in 1994, Goniwe was memorialised in a number of ways. The Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance was founded to serve as the training arm of the Gauteng Department of Education, and the Matthew Goniwe Memorial High School was named after him. A memorial was also erected in honour of The Cradock Four.

The South African Democratic Teachers Union, the largest teacher union in the Southern Hemisphere, has also named its head office as "Matthew Goniwe House" as a revolutionary symbol in memory of the role he played in the struggle of shaping South African society, education in particular.