Draft:Basil February
Basil Paul Petersen February (8 August 1943 - 15 August 1967) was a South African anti-apartheid activists for the South African Coloured People's Organisation (SACPO) and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He became the MK's guerrilla from 1964 until his murder in 1967 in exile.[1]
Basil February | |
|---|---|
| Born | Basil Paul Petersen February August 8, 1943 District Six, Cape Town, South Africa |
| Died | August 15, 1967 (aged 24) Figtree, near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe |
| Resting place | Cape Town, reburied in September 2024[2] |
| Occupation | Freedom fighter |
| Movement | South African Coloured People's Organisation, Umkhonto we Sizwe |
Early life and political career
[edit]He was born Basil February into a coloured family on 8 August 1943 in Cape Town's District Six area. He attended St Andrews Primary School in Saldanha Bay and Trafalgar High School in District Six.
On completing matric, he wanted to study law and his application was denied by the government and he went on to register for medicine at the University of Cape Town in 1961 but dropped out a year later due to involvement in politics.
His first anti-apartheid political involvement was with the Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM) with his best friend James April. When they saw that the NEUM was not taking any action against the oppressive apartheid regime, they left the movement to join the South African Coloured People’s Organisation (SACPO) in 1963 and uMkhonto we Sizwe in 1964 with his friend James April.
February had twice been detained under the 90-day detention act, a law under apatheid that allowed the government to detain anyone suspected of planning to overthrow the government for up to 90 days without trial while the police investigate the allegation.
When he left the country to train for the uMkhonto we Sizwe in Botswana he let nobody know - including his family and friends whom he never bid a goodbye. He used the name Paul Peterson (his father's name and mother's maiden name) in exile. He contributed several articles with the MK journal Dawn. He put his intellectual and writing skills to good use by contributing several articles to the MK Journal Dawn. On completion of his training, it was decided that February should come back to South Africa to head a guerrilla unit. He was to re-enter the country through Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
However, as February and his guerrillas were in route to South Africa in 1967, they encountered an unexpected roadblock in Rhodesia. It is reported
Early life and political career
[edit]He was born Basil February into a coloured family on 8 August 1943 in Cape Town's District Six area. He attended St Andrews Primary School in Saldanha Bay and Trafalgar High School in District Six.
On completing matric, he wanted to study law and was denied by the apartheid government and then went on to register for medicine at the University of Cape Town in 1961 but dropped out a year later due to involvement in politics.
He joined the South African Coloured People’s Organisation (SACPO) in 1963 and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1964 together with his best friend James April, both becoming the first coloured people to join the MK since its founding in 1962.
February had twice been detained under the 90-day detention act, a law under apatheid that allowed the government to detain anyone suspected of planning to overthrow the government for 90 days without trial while police investigate.
He left the country in 1964
When he trained with uMkhonto we Sizwe he used the name Paul Peterson, which was his father's name and mother's maiden name, and is known as Basil Paul Peterson February.
In 1964, February left the country with James April, his best friend and comra They trained together in the ANC's camps in Africa and spent a year at a military academy in Czechoslovakia.
they reported to African National Congress president Albert Luthuli.
February joined the South African Coloured People's Organisation in 1963 and in 1964 he became a member of African National Congress's paramilitary, Umkhonto we Sizwe.
- ^ Nicole van Driel: Basil February should be remembered, Politicsweb, 28 August 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2024
- ^ Repatriation of remains of fallen struggle heroes a moment of reflection, SANews.gov.za. 24 September 2024