Mpondo Revolt (1950–1962)


Ngquza Hill Massacre occurred on 6 June 1960, on the Ngquza Hill near Flagstaff and Lusikisiki in the then Eastern Pondoland. After years of dissatisfaction and opposition to the application of the Apartheid government's Land Rehabilitation Programme/Betterment Scheme; the use of chiefs by the apartheid state; and the Bantu Authorities Act of 1951 which meant that Transkei would gain independence, a group of Mpondo men and women gathered on Ngquza Hill to attend a meeting by iKongo, a movement formed to fight for the rights of the Mpondo people in Eastern Pondoland. The peaceful gathering was met with a violent response from the state. Two military aircraft bombarded the villagers with teargas and smoke bombs, while armed policemen surrounded the crowd. Eleven people died, 58 were injured and twenty three people arrested.

Preceding events

The Ngquza Hill Massacre represents the height of revolts against the white apartheid state known as the Mpondo Revolts. The Mpondo Revolts were a series of rebellions and resistances to the apartheid government's policies in the 1950-1960s. One of the reasons given for these revolts is the Rehabilitation/Betterment Scheme. The Betterment Scheme was a result of the Native Trust and Land Act which came into being in 1936. This act led to the establishment of the South African Native Trust which sought to purchase additional land which would increase the 7% prescribed by the Natives Land Act of 1913 to 13% of the South African land surface. In 1939, the state embarked on a policy of conservation measures known as "Betterment". This scheme was about resettlements, stock control, rotational grazing, fencing of grazing land, culling, regular dipping and promotion of government-sponsored cattle sales. The scheme was implemented by magistrates in the villages but they were met with 'cold silence' in the early 1940s. However, it was in 1947 that it was first applied to the Transkei in Butterworth. The first resistance to the rehabilitation happened in Mount Ayliff as early as 1942. The amaXesibe formed an organisation known as iKongo which sought to fight to protect their land in 1947. iKongo would later be adopted in Pondoland as the Mpondo people wanted to protect their land from the South African government in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Bantu Authorities Act of 1951 deepened the resistance to the Betterment Scheme. The introduction of the act meant that the tribal leaders were the extended arm of the South African apartheid government. The chiefs were used to implement the plans of the state and were less accountable to the people. Additionally, the system increased taxes, shifted away from elected authority and saw a reduction in popular participation. The Bantu Authorities system was imposed from outside with little consultation with the people of Pondoland. Chiefs were also known to accept bribes from the government and private companies in return for allotting people land.
In early March 1960, thousands of Mpondo people gathered on various parts of Pondoland on the day the apartheid government-created Isisekelo Tribal Authority was due to begin operations in Bizana. The movement became known as Intaba when it was not called iKongo, because it hosted its meetings on mountainous areas. Some members of iKongo, such as Anderson Ganyile, were ANC members, but there was no evidence that the movement had any affiliations to the ANC. While the initial meeting was held in Bizana at Mount Nonqulwana, other mountains/hills like Ngquza, Nqindili and Ndlovu also hosted meetings. Wealthy individuals such as chiefs and traders were expected to contribute large sums to the movement while evangelists and teachers who had been politicised through Bantu Education took leadership roles. It became apparent to the iKhongo/mountain committees that there were government agents within their ranks and their activities were reported to the magistrates. The iKongo agreed that if these members did not co-operate they would be burned or killed. Between March and June 1960, late ANC stalwart Govan Mbeki reported that 27 kraals and 22 people, including two chiefs, headman, five police informants and bodyguards were burnt.

The Massacre

On 6 June 1960, thousands Mpondo tribesmen heeded a call for a mass meeting to discuss the violence in Pondoland, as well as the Bantu Authorities Act of 1951 and the Betterment Scheme at Ngquza Hill between Flagstaff and Lusikisiki with the iKongo. The meeting was disrupted by airplanes which dropped smoke bombs and teargas while armed police officers surrounded the meeting. Although the people at the meeting raised a white flag to signal peace, the police opened fire. 11 people were killed, 58 were injured and twenty-three arrested.
Further Violence
Shortly after the massacre, violence broke out in the Flagstaff District where a police patrol was ambushed and stoned by angry Mpondo people. The police retaliated by shooting at them. Two police officers were injured and one headman was arrested. In November 1960, further violence by police disrupted a meeting in Ngqindile near Flagstaff. The Chief and his Indunas were violently killed, others were wounded and ten huts in the kraal were burnt down. Several violent clashes took place in Bala near Flagstaff and police officials were rushed to the area while military aircraft monitored the meeting by hovering over the mountains.

Aftermath

After the massacre a commission of inquiry was set up in mid-July to investigate the Ngquza Hill Massacre and hear the grievances of the people of Eastern Pondoland. The Mpondo people demanded the removal of Bantu Authorities, the removal of Paramount Chief Botha Sigcau, a relief from taxes, and representation in the South African government. On 11 October, the commission of inquiry declared to a group of 15,000 people that the grievances of the people of Pondoland were unacceptable. On 25 October, a meeting of 6000 people rejected the findings of the commission and initiated a boycott of white traders. On 1 November 1960, all white business were boycotted in Bizana. The boycott ended in January 1961.
The Bantu Authorities System collapsed in Bizana, Lusikisiki and Flagstaff in mid-July 1960. The Mountain committee/ iKongo took over the local judicial and administrative functions in the absence of chiefs. They set up people's courts, allocated land and hut sites, punished the informers and supporters of the Tribal Authorities System. In September 1960, the iKongo organised a census boycott and sent a petition to the United Nations.
On 30 November 1960, the South African apartheid government declared a State of Emergency in Flagstaff, Bizana, Ntabankulu, Lusikisiki and Mount Ayliff. Entrance to these districts without a permit was prohibited. The government blocked all entrances to these towns. Chiefs and headman were granted more power and any rebellion was suppressed. 30 people were sentenced to death and only nine of these sentences were cancelled.
In March 1997, Ngquza Hill Massacre survivor, Clememt Xabu, addressed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Xabu described the gathering as peaceful and narrated the terror around the massacre. "Some of us were able to run into the forest. There were people around the whole mountain shooting at us. People were injured. We carried 58 people to...a house. Eleven were killed instantly," Xabu said.
A monument which cost R15 million was erected in honour of the victims of the Ngquza Hil Massacre.
A municipality known as Ingquza Hill Local Municipality was named in honour of the massacre.