Sister Bernard Ncube

Sister Mary Bernard Ncube (née Neikie Zellie Ncube; 9 March 1935 – August 31, 2012) was a South African religious sister and anti-apartheid activist. As a religious sister, she often faced criticism from the church over her politics, including her stance on abortion.[1] Because of her anti-apartheid activities, she was often arrested and is probably the first sister to be arrested in South Africa.[2]

Sister Bernard Ncube
Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interest
In office
1999–2002
DeputyLawrence Mushwana
Preceded byCommittee established
Succeeded byLuwellyn Landers
Member of the National Assembly
In office
1994–2002
Personal details
Born
Neikie Zellie Ncube

(1935-03-09)9 March 1935
East Rand, Transvaal
Union of South Africa
Died31 August 2012(2012-08-31) (aged 77)
Political partyAfrican National Congress

Early life and education

Ncube was born on 9 March 1935[3] on the East Rand of the former Transvaal.[4] She earned a degree in theology from the Roma College in Lesotho and entered the Companions Catholic Order in 1955.[5] She worked as a teacher until 1960.[5]

Apartheid-era activism

Ncube lived at the St. Mary's Convent in Kagiso where she was known around the community as Mma Rona (Our Mother).[6] Ncube helped establish the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW).[7] Previously, she had been very active with youth groups in Kagiso.[8] In 1984, she became the president of FEDTRAW.[6]

In 1983, she was arrested and sentenced to four months[9] in prison for possessing "banned literature."[8] The item in her possession was a pamphlet published by the African National Congress (ANC), which had been outlawed in South Africa.[10]

In 1986, Ncube was arrested for attending a United Democratic Front (UDF) gathering, and was later let out on a $200 bail on the charge of attending an illegal gathering.[11] Not long after, police with dogs raided her convent and took over 70 documents, many relating to the UDF.[12] In March 1986, a gasoline bomb was tossed into her convent room, fortunately not harming anyone.[13] Later that year, in June, she was detained again and held in solitary confinement for over a year under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act.[6] During much of that time, she did not have access to necessary medical supplies or the type of special diet she needed.[6] Eventually she was released on bail.[6] Ncube was banned from Kagiso in 1987.[8] On March 17, 1988, the government dropped the charges against her.[2]

In 1989, she was part of a UDF delegation to meet with President George Bush.[5] Ncube went a "nation-wide speaking tour" of the United States and sponsored by Global Exchange in 1990.[14] In 1991, she joined the National Executive Committee of the ANC.[5]

Post-apartheid career

Ncube was elected into Parliament in 1994 and chaired the portfolio committee on arts and culture.[15] She left Parliament in 2002, when she became the mayor of the West Rand Municipality.[1] She died on 31 August 2012.[16]

See also

References

Citations
  1. Moshenberg, Sammie (2 September 2012). "Hamba Kahle Sister Bernard Ncube". Women In and Beyond the Global. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. "National Newsbriefs". The Catholic Advance. 24 March 1988. Retrieved 16 September 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  4. "Sister Bernard Ncube". Cape Times. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via PressReader.
  5. "Sister Bernard Ncube". South African History Online. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. Davis, Jennifer (May 1988). A Woman's Place Is In the Struggle - Not Behind Bars (PDF) (pamphlet). The Federation of Transvaal Women. pp. 18–19.
  7. "Sister Ncube Described as Champion of Women's Rights". SABC. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  8. Van Kessel 2000, p. 159.
  9. "Black South African Nun Jailed for Radical Papers". Jet. 65 (20): 24. 23 January 1984. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  10. "South African Nun Convicted Of Having an Illegal Pamphlet". The New York Times. 9 December 1983. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  11. Parks, Michael (11 January 1986). "6 Lawmakers End S. Africa Trip, Insisting on Sanctions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  12. "Seven Miners Die in S. African Fight". Santa Cruz Sentinel. 20 January 1986. Retrieved 16 September 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "The World". Los Angeles Times. 25 March 1986. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  14. "Recent Meetings". ASA News: For African Studies Association Members. 23 (1): 27. January 1990. doi:10.1017/S000202140001149X.
  15. "Zuma Saddened by Death of Sister Bernard Ncube". Mail & Guardian. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  16. "Zuma saddened by death of Sister Bernard Ncube". The Mail & Guardian. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

Sources
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