The Father of the Black Consciousness Movement was once more celebrated in this year’s Steve Biko Lecture that was hosted by the Durban University of Technology in partnership with the Umtapo Centre and the Steve Biko Foundation at the DUT Hotel School at the Ritson.

Themed Conversations on Black Consciousness, this year’s event featured the outspoken Simamkele Dlakavu who spoke about the role of Black Consciousness in the struggle for a free Azania. Also amongst the guests was Dr Aubrey Mokoape, a friend and associate of the late Biko who spoke about Black Consciousness in Perspective: Then and Now.

Dlakavu spoke about how the economic state of South Africa is still the same as during apartheid, saying black people still work as cheap labour and white people still control most of the country’s economic resources. “When we look at post-apartheid South Africa, nothing has drastically changed. The wealth of this country is still owned by white people,” she said.

When Dlakavu was discussing Black Consciousness in gender, her feminist side emerged as she shared her concerns about the BCM, saying although it played a huge role in the struggle against apartheid, feminists such as Phumla Gqola questioned it for its lack of regard towards females who were part of it and how they were never given platforms to voice their views.

“The Black Consciousness Movement has been criticised by black feminist thinkers and feminists such as Phumla Gqola. Gqola argues that the Black Consciousness had a gender bias towards black men. In the quest for black solidarity, they failed to acknowledge that even though we are all oppressed as black people, those differences within blackness need to be acknowledged,” she said.

Dr Makoape came in defence of the BCM saying that the era in which the movement was founded in is one of its contributing factor to its patriarchal behaviours.

– Siphephelo Sibiya

Pictured: Activist and co-founder of Sakha Ingomso Lethu, Simamkele Dlakavu and struggle veteran and BCM President Dr Aubrey Mokoape.