AARON MOLETE BIOGRAPHY

 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