Steve  Bantu  Biko:  Politician,  'Historian'  and  'Proponent'  of  African  Traditional  Religion

Sogiba, Zolile Sydney

Steve Bantu Biko: Politician, 'Historian' and 'Proponent' of African Traditional Religion

Master Thesis

1996

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Religious Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The topic is "Steve Bantu Biko: Politician, 'Historian' and 'Proponent' of African Traditional Religion". It is known by everybody that Steve Bantu Biko was a politician. This has been revealed by his teachings, what his contemporaries have written and by his commitment to the course of the struggle. He displayed a commitment to the struggle for freedom of the oppressed blacks in South Africa. His ideology was 'Black Consciousness' which was a threat to the regime and an affirmation and a creation of true humanity for the oppressed. What became clear is the fact that there is a difference between a politician and a freedom fighter. To describe him as a freedom fighter is more appropriate than a politician. He was denied free political activity by the apartheid regime which clamped down on all opponents labelling them as 'un-Christian', 'heretic', 'rebels', 'agitators' and 'terrorists'. The 'Black Consciousness' ideology was viewed by the state as subversive. The question arises, how could a person who encouraged black community programmes and black unity be regarded as a terrorist? Fear from the whites of a black majority government is the cause for such an attitude. He was indeed a man of peace, an activist and not a terrorist. It has been noticeable that politics, history and religion are inseparable. This is a response to those who wonder what politics has to do with religion.