The People’s Paper. Christopher Lowe

entrepreneurs, such as Bona, Drum and Post, were very profitable. These publications were addicted to a sex-crime-sport formula and lavish in their photo spreads, cartoons and other types of illustrations – forging a popular black press for a new mass audience that was emerging especially in the cities after World War II.

      4 L. Switzer and D. Switzer, The Black Press in South Africa and Lesotho: A Descriptive Bibliographic Guide to African, Coloured and Indian Newspapers, Newsletters and Magazines 1836–1976 (Boston: Hall, 1979).

      5 L. Switzer (ed.), South Africa’s Alternative Press: Voices of Protest and Resistance, 1880s–1960s (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997); L. Switzer and M. Adhikari (eds), South Africa’s Resistance Press: Alternative Voices in the Last Generation under Apartheid (Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Center for International Studies, 2000).

      List of Illustrations

      1. Abantu-Batho print works and staff, ca. 1920 (cover) (centre) D.S. Letanka, J.W. Dunjwa; (left) R. Selope Thema?

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, A2945 E7

      2. The Staff of the Abantu-Batho Ltd., ca. 1916

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, Skota Papers, A1618 Gb

      3. Official Staff, Abantu-Batho, ca. 1919 (seated) D.S. Letanka, Nontsizi Mgqwetho, R.W. Msimang? (standing) R.V. Selope Thema, J.W. Dunjwa, Levi Mvabaza, Benjamin Phooko

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, Skota Papers, A1618 Gb

      4. Kufuneka 10,000 abafundi, Abantu-Batho concert poster

      Source: NASA DNL 144/13 D205

      5. A typical Abantu-Batho page, 11 July 1918, reporting political (& football) News

      Source: NASA DNL 144/13 D205

      6. Abantu-Batho masthead and cover, 1918

      Source: NASA DNL 144/13 D205

      7. Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Abantu-Batho founder (right), with Nkosi Montsioa (centre), ca. 1916, (from Abantu-Batho Almanac)

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, A2794/21.71

      8. Queen Regent Labotsibeni with Seme and Princes Malunge and Sobhuza

      Source: André Odendaal

      9. African women’s protests of 1913 in Abantu-Batho via Indian Opinion

      10. Abantu-Batho Ltd. letterhead (with symbol of “grasping hands”)

      Source: letter of Cleopas Kunene, NASA DNL 144/13 D205

      11. Saul Msane and SANNC Delegation to England, 1914 From left: Walter Rubusana, Thomas Mapikela, John Dube, Sol Plaatje, Saul Msane

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, A1384f

      12. Abantu-Batho February 1920, article

      Source: Campbell Collections

      13. S. E. K. Mqhayi

      Source: Umteteli wa Bantu 30 December 1933 (Jeff Opland)

      14. 12. SANNC Delegation to England, 1919 (back) R.V. Selope Thema, J.T. Gumede, L.T. Mvabaza; (front) Sol Plaatje, H.R. Ngcayiya

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, A979/Fcb6

      15. Abantu-Batho February 1920, poem

      Source: Campbell Collections

      16. Levi Thomas Mvabaza

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, AD1788/15A.54

      17. Marcus Garvey at UNIA offices, August 1924

      Source: Library of Congress and Robert Vinson

      18. ANC Conference, 1930

      Source: Wits Historical Papers AG2738 Fa16.1

      19. The African Club ca.1916 (from Abantu-Batho Almanac).

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, Skota Papers, A1618 Gb

      20. Umteteli wa Bantu staff, c. 1930

      Source: Wits Historical Papers, A2945/E.6

Part I: Essays

      A Centenary History of Abantu-Batho, the People’s Paper

      ABANTU-BATHO: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION

      The 2012 centenary of the African National Congress (ANC) is also that of the closely allied newspaper, Abantu-Batho (The People). This little-studied weekly was established in October 1912 by the convener of the ANC, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, with financial assistance from the Queen Regent of Swaziland, Labotsibeni. It attracted as editors and journalists some of the best of a rising company of African intellectuals, political figures and literati such as Cleopas Kunene, Saul Msane, Richard Victor Selope Thema, T. D. Mweli Skota, Robert Grendon, S. E. K. Mqhayi and Nontsizi Mgqwetho. In its pages important themes of the day, from the pass laws, Land Act and the World War to strikes and socialism, the founding of Fort Hare, the rights of black women and Garveyism were articulated, just as mundane events such as football matches, marriages and church gatherings were reported. It was also a forum for letters and literary contributions, some of the highest calibre, others of a plebeian bluntness.

      A dynamic black press had already been established in some cities and towns by 1912. The ability to spread news in a printed format had once been a virtual monopoly of the colonial state or the missions, but the rise of a black-owned and -edited press challenged this, just as the spread of new communications and news agencies opened up space to share ideas more freely. In the latter-half of the nineteenth century, a nascent African intelligentsia developed letter-writing networks¹ and then, having few publication outlets, created their own regional newspapers such as Imvo Zabantsundu (Native Opinion,