AARON MOLETE BIOGRAPHY
Compiled by: Ntwaetsile Peter Keikabile
Aaron Molete, born 27 August 1917 and died 24 November 1984, was a member
of both the South African Communist Party (SACP) and African National Congress
(ANC) who worked for New Age. According to LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (p322) Aaron
was one of the distinguished activists of his time. His involvement in the
anti-apartheid activism led to his long term imprisonment at Pretoria Central
Prison today known as Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Services and eventually on
Robben Island.
Mr Molete, who was 40 years old then, was
arrested and charged with contravention of the provisions of the Suppression of
Communism Act of 1950 as amended. The Act as amended declared the South African
Communist Party an unlawful organization. He was sentenced to three years
imprisonment. At the time of his arrest Mr Aaron Molete was in possession of
the following documents:
1. A Communist Party publication called
INKULULEKO (Freedom in English) September 1961 version written in English,
IsiZulu and Sesotho
2. A little booklet with the wording: ‘The
Story of Angola Freedom Struggle
3. Leaflets inviting people to meetings
At Pretoria Central Prison (Kgosi Mampuru
II Correctional Services), there were other political prisoners viz. Robert
Sobukwe, the President of the PAC; John Gaetsewe, a leading member of the South
African Congress of Trade Unions; Stephen Tefu, a prominent communist unionist
and PAC member (p322) and Nelson Mandela, who was incarcerated for leaving the
country without permit and for inciting people to go on strike at the end of
May 1961. He was serving a five year sentence.
In May 1963 Aaron Molete, John Gaetsewe,
Stephen Tefu and Nelson Mandela, were transferred from Pretoria Central Prison
to Robben Island. The four of them were shackled together and put in a van
without window, which contained only one sanitary bucket (p327). They drove all
night to Cape Town and arrived the following day. Later on that day the four
were ferried to Robben Island still in chains. They suffered all sort of
humiliation along the way.
It is worth mentioning that Mr Molete and
the others shared a prison cell with Nelson Mandela. When Mandela returned to
Pretoria they remained at Robben Island until their release.
It is quite evident that Aaron Molete was
one of the stalwarts of our struggle. He suffered all kinds of humiliation for
the freedom we are enjoying today. He deserves to be recognized for such.
REFERENCES
1. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom,
published in 1994
2. Judgement: Aaron Molete (Appellant)
versus State (Respondent) Judges of the Supreme Court, 1962
3. South African Department of Justice:
Correspondences with Aaron Molete, 1953 to 1954
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