Lennox Sebe
Encyclopedia
Lennox Leslie Wongamu Sebe (26 July 1926 – 23 July 1994) was chief minister of the Xhosa bantustan
of Ciskei
, and the country's first president
, after its self-rule in 1972.
Born in Belstone, near King William's Town
, Sebe worked first as a school teacher before being appointed as a school principal in 1954. In 1968, Sebe was elected as a representative of the Ama Ntinde Tribe in the Ciskeian Territorial Authority and became responsible for Educational and Cultural Affairs, before transferring to the Agriculture portfolio in 1971.
Sebe founded the Ciskei National Independent Party and contested Ciskei's inaugural election in February 1973. He was elected to the Zwelitsha electorate and succeeded Chief Justice Mabandla to become the second Chief Minister of Ciskei on May 21, 1973. He would then become President when Ciskei was granted nominal independence from South Africa
on 4 December 1981. Sebe declared himself President for Life
in 1983.
Sebe was faced with leading an economically unviable state, with a population of one million, many of them Xhosa forced to relocate to the bantustan in the 1970s, during South Africa's apartheid regime.
Immediately upon independence, Sebe consolidated power in a dictatorship, supported by the 1,000-strong military forces. He crushed all opposition, including bitter protests against a transit fare strike in 1983 (most residents worked outside the bantustan, and relied on public transportation to get them to work). That same year, Sebe's brother, Lieutenant General Charles Sebe, head of Ciskei's intelligence service, attempted to overthrow the government. Though Charles Sebe was arrested, he escaped from prison in 1986 and made his way to nearby Transkei
, where he continued to agitate against the regime. In 1987, he orchestrated the kidnapping
of Sebe's son Khwane, who was held prisoner in Transkei
until Sebe agreed to release political prisoners in exchange for his son.
Sebe visited Israel
on several occasions during his presidency and established a trade office in Tel Aviv
that was run by two Israelis with ties to the Gush Emunim
Israeli settler movement. During this period, the Ciskeian capital, Bisho, signed a sister-city agreement with the settlement community of Ariel in the West Bank
. Sebe once claimed that Israel had granted official recognition to Ciskei, although the Israeli Foreign Ministry denied this.
Sebe was overthrown by a military coup led by Brigadier General Oupa Gqozo
on 4 March 1990 and charged with corruption
and human rights
violations.
Bantustan
A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
of Ciskei
Ciskei
Ciskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It covered an area of 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....
, and the country's first president
Heads of state of Ciskei
-List of the Heads of State of Ciskei:-Political Affiliation:*CNP - Ciskei National Party*CNIP - Ciskei National Independence Party*Mil - Military-See also:*Bantustan*President of South Africa...
, after its self-rule in 1972.
Born in Belstone, near King William's Town
King William's Town
King William's Town is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River. The town is about 40 minutes' motorway drive WNW of the Indian Ocean port of East London...
, Sebe worked first as a school teacher before being appointed as a school principal in 1954. In 1968, Sebe was elected as a representative of the Ama Ntinde Tribe in the Ciskeian Territorial Authority and became responsible for Educational and Cultural Affairs, before transferring to the Agriculture portfolio in 1971.
Sebe founded the Ciskei National Independent Party and contested Ciskei's inaugural election in February 1973. He was elected to the Zwelitsha electorate and succeeded Chief Justice Mabandla to become the second Chief Minister of Ciskei on May 21, 1973. He would then become President when Ciskei was granted nominal independence from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
on 4 December 1981. Sebe declared himself President for Life
President for Life
President for Life is a title assumed by some dictators to remove their term limit, in the hope that their authority, legitimacy, and term will never be disputed....
in 1983.
Sebe was faced with leading an economically unviable state, with a population of one million, many of them Xhosa forced to relocate to the bantustan in the 1970s, during South Africa's apartheid regime.
Immediately upon independence, Sebe consolidated power in a dictatorship, supported by the 1,000-strong military forces. He crushed all opposition, including bitter protests against a transit fare strike in 1983 (most residents worked outside the bantustan, and relied on public transportation to get them to work). That same year, Sebe's brother, Lieutenant General Charles Sebe, head of Ciskei's intelligence service, attempted to overthrow the government. Though Charles Sebe was arrested, he escaped from prison in 1986 and made his way to nearby Transkei
Transkei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
, where he continued to agitate against the regime. In 1987, he orchestrated the kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of Sebe's son Khwane, who was held prisoner in Transkei
Transkei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
until Sebe agreed to release political prisoners in exchange for his son.
Sebe visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on several occasions during his presidency and established a trade office in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
that was run by two Israelis with ties to the Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim was an Israeli messianic and political movement committed to establishing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While not formally established as an organization until 1974 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, Gush Emunim sprang out of the conquests of the Six-Day War in 1967, encouraging...
Israeli settler movement. During this period, the Ciskeian capital, Bisho, signed a sister-city agreement with the settlement community of Ariel in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Sebe once claimed that Israel had granted official recognition to Ciskei, although the Israeli Foreign Ministry denied this.
Sebe was overthrown by a military coup led by Brigadier General Oupa Gqozo
Oupa Gqozo
Joshua Oupa Gqozo was the military ruler of the former homeland of Ciskei in South Africa.-Early life:Oupa Gqozo was born in Kroonstad on 10 March 1952, the son of a Christian minister. He was sent away at a young age to stay with a relative living in Witgatboom in Northern Transvaal . There he...
on 4 March 1990 and charged with corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations.