Steve Biko: 1946-1977

Reviewed By: Samane Jnr Marks

This is a book on Steve Biko, also known as Bantu. Biko was an anti-apartheid activist and public intellectual.

(Screen crab from the internet https://www.academia.edu/39312560/Steve_Biko_I_Write_what_I_like Sun 14:30 2022)

This prestigious book articulates the Steve Biko's selfless pieces of thought resilience and lengthy faith, which shaped South Africa's evolution of political society and the prosperous honesty of socialism, where the state best meets the needs of the people equally.

It elaboratively provides work of how Steve Biko removed the mask of racial injustice (Apartheid), exposing and bringing it down by introducing the normalization of blacks, Indians, and coloured’s mentally releasing themselves from the shackles of white harshness inflicted to them. Which begun through formless initiatives such as SASO (South African Student Organisation).

There is a fixated emphasis of themes within the book which is Blackness, Racism, Liberation, Power, and Subjugation (The act of conquering). The themes are addressed in a very specific and topical manner, via his thoughts written and spoken about the South African liberation movement.

The themes have a brief linkage, revealing the scope of his ideas on topics such as the underlying concept of black consciousness, African culture, racism, and Bantustans.

This book provides a very profound and insightful conceptual nourishment of genuine political nuance and the journey of Steve Biko. Inclusively giving a contextual background of how the fight for full human rights, dignity, free will and the right to vote and elect their own representatives was fought by the non-whites.

The selection within Biko’s writings from 1969, when he became the president of the South African Students' Organization, to 1972. When he was prohibited from writing to highly inspire and educate people concerned with matters of racism, post-colonialism, and black nationalism.

The events of the huge black struggle from 1960 to 1977 provide a pattern for how Biko viewed the student struggles in Soweto and elsewhere in South Africa since 1976. It further demonstrates the tenacity of a united liberation front in the face of the persistent powers of white oppression.

To a logically minded scholar, it gives light to how Biko could not be limited in his worldview as he desired liberation of the people in South Africa. The greater chance of black people coming together was through the numerous organisations such as SASO.

SASO had techniques of instilling its principles which was referred to as “The passing over technique for impregnating the subconscious” (S, Biko p.61). SASO was a strong point organisation of black students which was formed in 1968. It was firmly based on Black Consciousness.

The principles were detailed as to “crystallise the needs and aspirations of the non-white students and to seek to make known their grievances. where possible to put into effect programmes designed to meet the needs of the non-white students.” (S,Biko pg 62). SASO’s core game was one of establishing a solid identity amongst the non-whites students and to ensure that these students are always treated with dignity and respect they deserve.

Due to the inequality within the 1968 NUSAS (National Union of South African Students) which gave blacks an overriding impression that they’re just there in name only (S. Biko p.13-14). It inflicted a sense of not belonging to the non-white students as all elected executives were all white.

The structured alliance of SASO played a paramount role of being more of a pressure group on all institutions and organisations for the benefit of the non-white students. Biko’s point was primarily raising that the white Government has created and preserved for themselves a special position of privilege which was a method of diminishing the black population.

The primary philosophy of the Apartheid regime's oppression was to condition the black man for a lesser position in South Africa, which continues to this day. Even though it is considerably more complex nowadays.

Steve Biko's objective was to work tenaciously to imparting more in a Blackman for them to awaken to their senses and breathe new independent life. To instil pride and dignity in them, to remind them of their beginnings as sons and daughters of the earth. This eventually gave rise to the build-up point that became the definition of "Black Consciousness" (S. Biko pg.30).

This highlights Biko's impact on Black Consciousness and how it strives to demonstrate the importance of black people while also establishing their own standards and outlook. It spoke to the black man in his native language and how not be fooled by white society who have made white standards rule by which even some black people begin to judge each other on (S.Biko pg.32).

The fullness of white power has been propagated through the media (Bantu Radio) with the goal of informing the general public about how the government meant well with promises of independence offered to some deserted homelands.

Where else lack of respect for dignity of blacks is shown during the mass removals including the atrocious harassment of police, and “ruthless application of pass laws from blacks” (S. Biko pg. 137) that’s was a sense of reminder to blacks’ people that the white man is superior, and the blacks are only tolerated.

Biko inserted a sense of blacks opposing the concept of Bantustans.

It is due to the treatment of black people in their own country. Through the nonsensical policy where "minority owns a bigger percentage of the land (87%) while the majority controls only 13%." (Pg.76). This is a strong indication of how blacks' rightful land has been robbed from them, as all the Bantustans are in the undeveloped sections of the country, which are often poor for production.

The writings generalised how whites are born, nourished, and nurtured into privilege. It is a system of cruel exploitation of black people's energies in which whites enjoy and live off the sweat of others.

The non-whites' most important and courageous move was the push for Black awareness. Black Consciousness stood out for blacks, creating a highly positive and confident feature in blacks in order to enhance their own status.

It demonstrated African pride and a desire to grow and become their ideal selves. This gives new meaning to the old Steve Biko phrase, "The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the thinking of the oppressed" (S, Biko pg.63).

The BC movement grew into a mind-liberating machine, paving the way for the ANC's eventual victory against the apartheid system later in 1994. This book will assist any researcher to fathom that Biko was not just a powerful and moral leader, but also a true political scholar who understood the underlying reasons of the black South African struggles.

It essentially addresses black people while also offering details. To all mankind as it prescribed solidarity as a necessity to the liberation of black brains from the chains of inhumanity.