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Continuing.... Between 1917 and 1924 Dr Banda while in South Africa was combining working and evening classes. Whilst working at Boksburg Mine as a clerk he attended classes at Crown Mines where a Suthu woman Edith Beatrice Masinga was one of his teachers. https://twitter.com/General_wongie/status/1295436099196727298
Edith Masinga was born on 9th October 1886. JT Gomedi one of the founders of the African National Congress was her father.Edith Masinga’s family knew Dr Banda well as a young keen student who worked and attended evening classes while also sending money to his family in Nyasaland
Dr Banda was just like a family member of the Masinga family as he could go and have some extra classes at the Masinga’s home. Edith’s daughter Tutsi remembers her mother talking about her student Walter Hastings Banda from Nyasaland, who she regarded as her son.
When Dr Banda was invited for an official visit to South Africa in 1971, he gave a condition that he would only come if the South African government locate where his old teacher and mum, Edith Masinga was.
Dr Banda gave a condition that he could not visit South Africa without meeting the lady, Edith Masinga.The South Africa government was keen to have Dr Banda visit South Africa. To the Banda was the most educated African who the South African natives could respect and listen to
On the violence issues.The South African government was so determined to make Dr Banda’s visit a success and South Africa was combed locate the whereabouts of Edith Masinga. Prime minister John Vorster’s office contacted the Chamber of Mines to check on there records everywhere
that Dr Banda worked in the mines,,, and every school he attended between 1917 to 1924.A list of teachers in those schools was to be checked to locate Edith Masinga.
Edith Masinga had long retired from the mines but the records were to pinpoint where she moved afterwards.
Edith Masinga had long retired from the mines but the records were to pinpoint where she moved afterwards.
The Chamber of Mines finally found the name Edith Masinga and where she moved to after retirement and contacted the Johannesburg municipal offices.Two officials from the housing department were sent to try and locate Edith Masinga somewhere in Soweto.
At the centre of the ‘Mission Locate Edith Masinga’ was John Ngwiri a top Nyasaland government official who negotiated with the South African government on the issue.
When the two South African government officials arrived at the house they were sure belonged to Edith Masinga.
When the two South African government officials arrived at the house they were sure belonged to Edith Masinga.
Edith was in her kitchen.Edith’s daughter Tutsi informed her that two white men in uniform were outside and wanted to see her. As Edith Masinga was widowed, she imagined that they had come to evict her from the property. It was rare for two white government officials to come to
that part of Soweto and she was ready to fight her eviction.Edith Masinga opened the door and screamed to the two officers, ‘’I'm going nowhere!”Her daughter Tutsi let the Officers in and offered them a seat. The Officers were friendly which calmed Edith down.
The officers suggested a cup of tea and the nice cakes that Edith had prepared in the kitchen.The two officers started talking over the cup of tea and asked Edith if he knew anybody outside South Africa who was famous. She replied: “I once had a son who grew up under my hands.
Walter Hastings Banda. He went overseas to study. He used to write me letters.”The officers were very pleased that they had finally found the wanted ‘Edith Masinga’. The officers clearly informed her that: “ Your son is now Dr Banda, the president of Nyasaland.
and he is adamant that he won’t come to South Africa until he knows you’re still alive.”The South African government cabled John Ngwiri in Nyasaland, Mission accomplished, “Edith Masinga finally located.”John Ngwiri travelled to South Africa to ensure that the preparations
for the visit were in order.Ngwiri was dismayed Africans were not invited to the state banquet to be held on Dr Banda visit.He negotiated with the South African government to invite Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Chief Kaizer Mantazima, Francis Ncube and other senior black Sowetan
Members. John Ngwiri’s most important mission was to visit Edith Masinga in Soweto. Ngwiri was shocked to see the house that Edith Masinga was living. It was a small house with an outside lavatory.Ngwiri explained to Edith Dr Banda’s visit and gave her R500 to buy a dress and
a pair of shoes.Ngwiri told Edith to be ready the following Monday at 4pm as her destination would be a surprise. When Dr Banda arrived in South Africa in 1971, the local natives saw what they had never seen in the history of South Africa.
They saw a black man in a convoy being guarded by white men. The natives heard that black man was Dr Banda, the president of Nyasaland who once worked in the mines and spoke Zulu and fanagalo.
The natives were excited to see Dr Banda. At one mine where Dr Banda visited he spoke Fanagalo. Fanagalo was broken Zulu spoken in mines in South Africa at that time. Fanagalo now is commonly spoken by South Africa Indians when they speak Zulu.
Oooh!! Do you still have fish on Thursday.” Dr Banda commented at one mine where he previously worked as a clerk… and the miners, most of whom were from Nyasaland laughed. He was spot on the mine’s menu still had fish on Thursday.
That evening Vorster hosted a banquet. At 4pm, two government cars had travelled to Soweto to collect Edith Masinga and then taken her to the President Hotel where she lined up to greet Dr Banda. When Dr Banda saw her, he left the procession making its way along the red carpet
and went to where Edith Masinga stood. Dr Banda embraced her and cried. Dr Banda told the audience ,“SHE’S MY MOTHER !”Dr Banda had not seen Edith Masinga for 45 years since he left South Africa in 1925.
Edith Masinga was 84 when Dr Banda met her in 1971. She was 39 years old when he left her in 1925 when Young Dr Banda was going to America to study Medicine.The whole South African Trip in 1971 had been a success due to the negotiation skills and efforts of John Ngwiri.
The whole entourage to South Africa that year included Dr Banda, Cecilia Kadzamira, John Ngwiri, John Tembo, Aleke Banda and others.
Following Banda’s visit to South Africa, a house was built for Edith Masinga in Pimville, Soweto, at a cost of R42 000.
Following Banda’s visit to South Africa, a house was built for Edith Masinga in Pimville, Soweto, at a cost of R42 000.
John Ngwiri oversaw the project. The house was a three-bedroomed townhouse of the type built for Nyasaland civil servants which were being built at the new capital Lilongwe.The house was swiftly built that it was completed in months and Edith Masinga moved to her ne home in 1972
