Protest in S.P.P. Mminele's Ngwana wa mobu: the African perspective

Abstract

In discussions of the theme of Mminele's novel Ngwana wa mobu there is general agreement that it is a strong protest against the system of the Bantu Education of th. 1960s in South Africa. The novel protests against the system that gave too much power to School Boards, enabling them to ‘hire and fire’ teachers at will. Even the author himself (in casual conversation) maintains that he intended to add his voice to the chorus of protest against the evils of the education system. Some of these shortcomings would later lead to th. 1976 students' revolt. This article aims to add another dimension to the interpretation of protest in this novel, which goes beyond the then Bantu Education system, namely protest against the evils of the colonisation of Africans in South Africa.