Obituary in Sechaba, September 1987
The African National Congress dips its banner in homage to a stalwart leader, Comrade Masabalala Bonnie (M.B.) Yengwa,whose death was mourned by many friends, relatives and comrades in exile who congregated at the church service and later at the Golders Green Crematorium on Sunday, July 26, 1987. It was one of the biggest funerals ever held in London. He died suddenly on July 21st.
Born on December 5th, 1923, near Mapumulo, in Natal, he was inspired by his father who had fought in the Bambatha Rebellion of 1906, and had been arrested for participating in the ANC anti-pass campaign in 1919.
After his matriculation in 1943 Comrade M.B., worked for the Liquor and Catering Trade Union. He joined the Durban Branch of the ANC in 1945, immediately after being forced to apply for a pass. Subsequently he held various positions, gradually achieving senior positions during the formation of the Youth League in Natal in 1948.
In 1951 he was elected to the Natal Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC, under Chief Luthuli as President. He helped to undermine the position of the conservative A.W.G. Champion and to promote the political career of Chief Luthuli. Comrade M.B. was appointed Natal Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign in June 1952 and was gaoled for two weeks as a passive resister. A year later he was banned from attending gatherings and entering certain districts. He was elected to attend the Queenstown Conference of the ANC (Queenstown was a permitted area) along with Comrade Oliver Tambo. Thus began his long personal association with Comrades Mandela and Tambo.
In 1945 he was deported to Mapumulo for two years. He was unable to attend the very significant and historic Congress of the People held on June 26, 1955, at Kliptown where the Freedom Charter was born. In 1956 he was charged with High Treason with 155 others but was discharged a year later.
During these intermittent years of political activities he was articled to J.N. Singh, an attorney in Durban. In 1960 he obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree and a year later his attorney's admission certificate.
In 1964 he was arrested for ANC activities and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment together with 21 comrades. After the appeal hearing the sentence was reduced to 18 months. Released in November 1965, he was then confined to Mapumulo, forbidden to go beyond 25 yards from his home. Only his immediate family were allowed to visit him.
In April 1966, he escaped to Swaziland. Comrade Edith and their four children joined him later that year. He practised as an attorney in Swaziland. In 1969 he was deported together with his family because of the South African pressure in Swaziland, and entered the United Kingdom as a refugee.
Comrade M.B. Yengwa was a highly religious man. At an early age he became Durban Secretary of the African Congregational Church, later becoming a deacon of that church. He represented the ANC at the World Council of Churches' meeting in Geneva to draw up a programme to combat racism. Because of a long, close association with Chief Albert Luthuli, he was made director of the Luthuli Memorial Foundation. In 1970 he was sent as an ANC delegate to a World Congress on religion in Japan and in the same year, he was present when the Luthuli Memorial Foundation was launched in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. He was proud of his Zulu culture, and wrote a novel in Zulu, Inqaba ka Mobelemade, published in the 1940s.
In March 1971, while he was Chairman of the ANC London Region, M.B. Yengwa had a stroke. He lost the ability to speak fluently for almost three years. However, through sheer determination he made a marvellous recovery. He was elected again and again to chair the regional London meetings. Over all the years he never missed any meetings or social events that took place in London. He was indeed an example to us all in his unflagging dedication.
Tributes have flowed in from all quarters. Among them were these words from the Secretary General of the ANC, Comrade Alfred Nzo, at his funeral:
"Because of his supreme dedication to our cause Yengwa had risen to occupy very important positions in the leadership of the ANC. M.B. was a former provisional secretary of the ANC during the stormy 1950s and a close confidante and lieutenant of our illustrious leader, Chief Luthuli. He was known by younger comrades as Comrade V.K., short for Vikayi Bambe, a nickname he dearly treasured because of its literal meaning - he who uses and seizes the moment, the ever-youthful, who will not falter when called to action.
"The years 1945-87 have been in many respects the most decisive in the history of our country and the movement. M.B. played a prominent role in events which shaped this period. Women and men like M.B., who were instrumental in shaping the policy of the Youth League and fighting within the ranks of the ANC for the acceptance of its programme, laid the foundation stone of the mass movement of the 1950s, and are justly acclaimed as the pioneers of the revolutionary nationalism of the present day."
We express our heartfelt condolences to Comrade Edith and her dear family. We grieve with them for Comrade M.B. as he was popularly called - his presence in all the ANC functions will be sorely missed by the entire membership of the ANC in London and the movement as a whole. His sincere concern and warmth was expressed to all those he met. He was loved and admired for his simplicity and his unassuming manner. These are some of the rare qualities that came naturally.
Comrade M.B., we say to you, rest in peace. Your dedication and contribution to the struggle of the masses in our country to be liberated will be remembered by all those who have worked closely with you and been inspired by you.