(Betty Govinden, Pam Didcott, Heidi Gibson &
Dr Jairam Reddy)
Chief Albert
Luthuli was the longest serving president general of the African National
Congress from 1952 to 1967. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the year
1960 and flew with his wife Nokukhanya to Oslo in Norway in 1961 to receive it.
An exercise book
containing hand-written notes penned by Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize Laureate,
Chief Albert Luthuli, has been officially donated to the Luthuli Museum by Pam
Didcott, wife of former Constitutional Court Judge, John Didcott.
The remarkable
discovery of the notebook was made by Mrs Didcott soon after her husband – a
founder member of the Liberal Party and Chancellor of Durban Westville University
- passed away in 1998 and had remained in her possession as a treasured memento
ever since.
Entitled My Outlook - dated June 20, 1957, and
signed - the original Tudor exercise book contains hand written notes by Chief
Albert Luthuli on a number of different topics such as the “Spirit of Service
to Humanity” and “Why I Champion the Cause of Freedom”.
It documents his
education, membership and participation in other societies, his banning orders
and notes around his deposition as a member of the Native Representatives
Council. It contains rare insight of the influence of the church and
Christianity in various areas of his life.
“I did not want to
let it go but after Dr Reddy convinced me and, having visited the Museum, I
know I am doing the right thing,” said Pam Didcott. “I am sure it will be
looked after and preserved for many more years to come.”
She was accompanied
by her friends Dr Jairam Reddy, chairperson of the council of the Durban
University of Technology, and Betty Govinden, a retired lecturer from the
former University of Durban-Westville.
“We are very
excited about this donation and wish to use the opportunity to call on other
members of the public who directly or indirectly knew or had dealings with
Chief Albert Luthuli to consider handing over such historical or official
documents or photographs or objects that are linked to Chief Luthuli for
safekeeping at the Museum,” said Luthuli Museum Director, Brian Xaba.
“The notebook will
be accessioned, catalogued and stored in a temperature-controlled environment.
Further research of the book and its contents will take place for future
historical reference. A copy of it will be placed on our digital on-line
catalogue that is linked to our website. This will enable academics and
researchers from all over the world access to a document that otherwise would
have remained hidden away, “he said.
On the day of Mrs Didcott’s
visit, Dr Reddy also handed over five black and white photographs. These record
an occasion in 1993 when, accompanied by former Chief Justice Pius Langa,
United Nations Head of the Anti-Apartheid movement Enuga ‘ES’ Reddy and former
Durban Municipal Manager, Michael Sutcliffe, and others, he handed over to Mrs
Nokukhanya Luthuli (“MaBhengu”) a taped audio copy of her husband’s Nobel Peace
Prize acceptance speech.
The Luthuli Museum
is situated at 3233 Nokukhanya Luthuli Street, Groutville – the site of the
former home of Chief Albert Luthuli. It was officially opened in 2004 by the
former South African president Thabo Mbeki and is dedicated to the preservation
and promotion of the life and legacy of Chief Albert Luthuli.
“The importance of
these photographs can’t be emphasized enough. They provide rare insight into
what the house looked like then,” said Xaba.
Further information
from Luthuli Museum Marketing Manager Heidi Gibson on 032 559 6822 or 083 410
7362 or email marketing@luthulimuseum.org.za
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