Childhood Days Long Walk Original Manuscript (Image #6)

first world war and ushered in world peace for two decades. That year a delegation of the African National Congress travelled to the Versailles Peace Conference to voice the grievances of the African people of South Africa. On the home front is was a year of rising industrial unrest in which both black and white workers went on strike and in which there were even wild rumours of an impending rebellion by the workers. It was in this atmosphere that in Johannesburg and Durban workers went so far as to establish soviets to manage their affairs. Above all, it was the year following the Bolshevik revolution an immortal achievement which opened up vast possibilities for man's forward movement. My relationship to the Thembu royal house, and more particularly the fact that I spent my youth at Mqhekezweni, has led to well meant but exaggerated accounts of my exact position in the affairs of Thembuland. In actual fact even if my father had not been deposed, I would not have succeeded him as chief and I was never at any time in the line of succession of the Thembu throne. If the regent was grooming me for an important traditional post, it was not because of any hereditary claim to such a post but because he believed that the holding of such office would strengthen my position as advisor to the future king. The Thembu monarch, Ngubangcuka, reigned until his death in 1832. As was the custom in those days he had, apart from his junior wives, three main houses: the Great House, the Right Hand House and Ixhiba House. Mthikrakra became the heir in the Great House of the king. Amongst his sons were Ngangelizwe and Mathanzima. Sabata, the present king, is the great grandson of the