BANTU STEVE BIKO

Bantu Steve Biko was born in the Eastern Cape town of Tilden on December 18, 1946 to Mathew Mzingaye Biko and Alice Nokuzola Biko. He was one of four children.

He attended junior school at Charles Morgan where he was to make his mark as one of the most promising learners. Due to his outstanding performance he was promoted from Standard 3 to Standard 5 and then he stood out as the best above the rest of his class.

Steve was to attend his senior secondary studies at Forbes Grant High School. Again because of his academic performance he held regular evening classes for his classmates as a volunteer.

In 1963 he was admitted to Lovedale but was expelled in the same year as a result of the political activities of his brother, Khaya Biko. Khaya was a member of the PAC and had tried to recruit Steve unsuccessfully. The expulsion was to mark the turning point of Steve’s life.

In 1964 he went to study at St. Frances College at Marianhill and two years later was admitted to the Medical School of Natal University. As soon as he got to Natal he was elected onto the SRC and he immediately became active in campus politics through participation in the National Union of South African Students.

In 1966 and 1967 he participated in the Annual Conference at Rhodes University. It is here that the differences between white and black students became more vivid.

In 1969 Steve, unhappy about the commitment of National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) to the cause black students, broke away to form the South African Students Organisation (SASO). He became the first president. By 1971 SASO was well established with branches at most universities and colleges. Its newsletter reached 4 000 by 1972.

In 1972 Steve pioneered the formation of the national Black People’s Convention, which was the umbrella body of all Black Consciousness Formations.

In 1973 with the first major offensive against the movement, Steve and six other leaders were banned. He returned to the Eastern Cape where he was to form a number of grass roots organizations based on the notion of self-reliance. He started a community clinic, Zanempilo, the Zimele Trust Fund (which helped support ex-political prisoners and their families), Njwaxa Leather-Works Project and the Ginsberg Education Fund. By 1976 he had transformed this region into a showcase for community development.

Steve was to be arrested on August 18, 1977 traveling from Cape Town. The purpose of this trip was to initiate unity talks between the ANC, PAC, BCM and Unity Movement.

He died on September 12, 1977 having sustained extensive brain hemorrhage as a result of heavy beating. He is survived by his wife and children.