A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE LIFE OF SIBUSISIWE MAKANYA AND HER WORK As EDUCATOR AND SOCIAL WORKER IN THE UMBUMBULU DISTRICT OF NATAL 1894-1971 Umehani Khan Submittedin partial fulfilmentof the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Women's Studies), Universityof Natal, Durban. 1995 ABSTRACT Thisis a study of thelife of Sibusisiwe Makanya and her work as an educator and social worker in Umbumbulu, a peri urban area on thesouth coast of Natal. In this construction of her lifeI have referred to the Makanya Papers, housed in the Killie Campbell Africana Library; the RheinhalltJones papers and theBantu Youth League papers, housed in theSouth African Institute of Race Relationspapers at the University of the Witwatersrand's Historical Papers Collection;the Forman Collection at the University of Cape Town; and thepapers of theSecond Annual Conference of theZulu Society housed in theNatal Archives, Pietermaritzburg. There are no direct kith or kin alive today who could be interviewedto provide detailed perspectives about the life of Sibusisiwe. However, threepeople, who had known her, have been interviewed for information thatsheds more light on the life and timesin which she lived. Sibusisiwe Makanya's life demonstratesan interestingdeparture from what was generally perceived to be the status and role of women inAfrican rural society in the early years of thiscentury. To a considerable extent, she was among a vanguard--challenging an array of traditionaland sexist array of forces blocking her path. Throughthis she created a space for other women to renegotiateor avoid theroles thattheir society had determined for them. This thesis is divided into six chapters: Chapter One positionsSibusisiwe Makanya in her historical period and attempts to answer some issues relatingto representationand the nature of biographical writingas it has arisen in. South African Women's Studies and theconcern relating to silences and lacunaein evidence regarding Sibusisiwe. Chapter Two deals with the life and work of Sibusisiwe before she left to study in the USA. Chapter Three discusses her sojourn in America and theeducational and personal challenges she had to deal with. Chapter Four explores the nature of work she initiatedas a social worker in a rural/ peri urban area of SouthAfrica. Chapter Five discusses her work as she became more firmly established and as she became a role model fo otherwomen, bothfor her dedicated community work and for her selfactualisation. Chapter Six draws togetherthe various themes discussed in thethesis and explains the relevance of Sibusisiwe's work for the new SouthAfrica. ACKNOWLEPGEMENTS The completion of-this thesis was made possible by the generous help afforded to me by many people. I thank Dr Ros Posel for directing me to the Makanya Papers in the Killie Campbell Africana Library. I am gratefulto Cherryl Walker for discussions and suggestions regarding my proposal and her helpful criticisms on the early work done on this project. I wish to thankDr Catherine Burns,my supervisor, for her valuable discussions and suggestions in the writing of this thesis. Her interest in this project was a source of great inspiration. I am especially grateful for her understanding of my predicaments concerningmy childcare responsibilities and her involvement in ensuring that I CC?uldcomplete this thesis without much outside interruptions. The following people have been of immensehelp in the research phase of the project: • Bobby Eldridge of Killie Campbell Africana Library • Sarah Mitha of E.G. Malherbe University Library • Lindiwe Soyizwapi of University of Natal Pietermaritzburg Library •- Unnay Narrine of Natal Archives, Pietermaritzburg • AmmiRyke, Archivist at UNISA Documentation Centre for African Studies • Jill Gribble, Archivist-Historical Papers and Manuscripts, University of Cape Town • Carol Archibald and Michele Pickover, Historical Papers Collection, Universty of Witwatersrand. I wish to thank Ms Ellen Kuzwayo, Ms Brigalia Barnand Dr Oscar Dhlomo for taking offtime from their busy schedules to answer my questions on their recollections of the life aridtimes of Sibusisiwe Makanya. My thanks also to Ms Fathima Rasool and Mr A.S. Wahab for information_ regarding the 1949 riots in Durban. I am grateful to Phumlani Ngobese for his translation from Zulu to English of the praise song written in honour of Sibusisiwe Makanya and the letter she wrote to A.W.G. Champion in 1929. The financial assistance of the Centre for Science Development (HSRC, South Africa) towards this research is acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at, are my own and are not necessarily to be attributed to the CSD. I could not have completed this thesis without the unstinting support and encouragement of a loving friend and feminist, my husband Shamsher. My mother, Abeda Wahab, and my extended family took over the roles of both baby-sitter and caterer. I am indebted to my mother for relieving us from cooking chores by ensuring that there was always a pot of food on our stove for our family. CONTENTS 1. Title 1 2. Abstract 2 3. Acknowledgements 3 4. Contents 4 5. List of Abbreviations 6 6. Chapter One- Introduction 7 7. Chapter Two - Pupil andTeacher 21 8. Chapter Three - Student in the USA 37 9. Chapter Four-Social Worker 79 10. Chapter Five- Role Model Laying One of the Foundations of Umbumbulu 115 11. Chapter Six - Conclusion 144 -12. Appendices. 155 13. Bibliography 163 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ABM American Board Mission ANC African National Congress BYL Bantu Youth League ICU Industrial and Commercial Workers Union· KCAL Killie Campbell Africana Library NEC Native Economic Commission NED Natal Education Department PSF Phelps Stokes Fund SAIRR South AfricanInstitute of Race Relations ucc Umbumbulu Community Centre YWCA Young Women's Christian Association CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION This project is a study of the life of Sibusisiwe Makanya (1894-1971) and her work as a social worker and educator in the Umbumbulu district of Natal. The main objectives of the project are to map out her life; explore the way her life throws light on the changing nature of gender relations in an Africanrurafarea of Natal and the extent to which she challenged established social norms and expectations; see how her perspectives on issues were modified by the socio-political concerns of her times; assess the impact of her work on her community and outside her community;and assess to what extent she provided a role model for young people, particularly young women. Finally, this dissertation challenges the perception held by some researchers that individui;ilssuch as Sibusisiwe Makanya remained static and iconographic examples of "types" of New Africans. Sibusisiwe Makanya was an extraordinary woman whose life traversed key decades in modern South African history. The focus of her life work was directed towards communityinvolvement. Sibusisiwe Makanya was the first Zulu woman to undertake academic study in the U.S.A. In her lifetime she became known as 'Leader of her People. '1 She spent much of her adulthood teachingat Imbizana and Inanda Seminary from 1916 to 1927, was secretary of the Purity League in 1930 and established the Umbumbulu Community Centre and Sibusisiwe High School, which stands today (see appendix for map). She travelled through KwaZulu Natal and parts of Transvaal lecturing on hygiene, domestic crafts and the benefits of home vegetable gardens. She spent 20 years giving night lessons to herd boys, adult education classes, women's classes in sewing, knitting, cooking and gardening and summerclasses for community workers. She presented papers at various inter-racial conferencesand formed links with 'civic leaders, social workers, politicians and educators in Southern Africa and abroad. Her contacts included people such as Marguerite Malherbe, Mabel Palmer, Dr Carney--Professor of Rural 7 Psychology and Sociology at Columbia University, New York-- A.W.G. Champion and Dr John L. Dube. Analysis of her work reveals that she was a far sighted and talented woman who transcended established gender boundaries as well as challenged racial oppression in a unique, usually non confrontational yet poignantly effective manner. It is a century since the birthof Sibusisiwe Makanya. She was born on 4 October 1894 in Umbumbulu and she died almost a quarter of a century ago in Umbumbulu on the 23September 1971. Yet the prominence and distinction of her life's work has not been duly recognised nor accorded a place amongst the multifarious attempts, analogous to spotlights, which continually enlighten, inform and broaden our knowledge of Natal's history. The only published record of the life of Sibusisiwe Makanya is contained in Shula Marks1s edited volume Not Either an Experimental Doll.2 This book explores the relationship of threewomen in Natal through letters written between 1949 and 1951. One of the correspondents was Sibusisiwe but the focus of the book is no� on Sibusisiwe Makanya or her life. A biography of Sibusisiwe Makanya by Myrtle Trowbridge exists in manuscript form within the Makanya Papers in the Killie Campbell Library. Trowbridge1s unpublished biography, which is the only written source available on Sibusisiwe's early life, however, stops in 1956. Despite the evidence available within the Makanya Papers there still exists enormous gaps and silences in knowledge regarding Sibusisiwe's life, her thoughts and her plans of action with regard to her work and interests in her field of social work. REPRESENTATIONS This project then, is a life history