MASTERS OF THE NIGHT

THE CONTEXT AND EVOLUTION OF THE LOVEDALE RIOT OF 1946

Abstract

Meesters van die nag : die konteks en evolusie van die Lovedale opstand van 1946 Hierdie artikel plaas die Lovedale opstand van 1946 in die breër konteks van die na-oorlogse malaise in Suid-Afrika. Die redes vir die opstand, beide kort- en langermyn, moet gesien word teen die agtergrond van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog en die swart mynwerkerstaking. Beide hierdie gebeurtenisse het sterk bande gehad met die krisis wat by Lovedale gedurende daardie jaar ontwikkel het. Spanning het sedert 1941 gebroei, maar het kritieke afmetings gedurende 1944 en 1945 aangeneem. Gebeure gedurende hierdie jare word in detail ondersoek. Vanaf 1946 het die situasie as gevolg van verskeie faktore versleg : droogte, die styging in voedselpryse, die besluit om te poog om klasgelde laag te hou en oudsoldate wat kom studeer het. Studente was ook beïnvloed deur politieke aktiwiteite van hul tuisdistrikte. Nadat sekere faktore wat tot die opstand gelei het bespreek is, word die beleid van die bestuursraad om opstandige studente her toe te laat, ondersoek. In besonder word daar aan twee temas aandag gegee. Eerstens word die deelname van buite organisasies ondersoek en tweedens die konflik wat in die instelling se bestuursliggaam oor hertoelating ontwikkel het. Die artikel poog laastens om die strukturele swakhede van die sendinggenootskappe se aandeel in die onderwysstelsel aan te toon.

This article sets the Lovedale riot of 1946 within the broader context of the post-war malaise in South Africa. The causes of the riot, both short and long-term, must be seen against the background of the Second World War and the African miners' strike. Both these events had strong linkages to the crisis which developed at Lovedale during this year. Tensions had been simmering since 1941 but became more critical during 1944 and 1945. Events during these years are considered in detail. From 1946 the situation worsened because of a number of factors : drought, the increasing price of food, the decision to attempt to keep fees low, the fact that ex-soldiers now became students. Lovedale students were also deeply affected by political activities in their home districts. Having examined some of the factors which led to the riot this article analyses the policy adopted by the Institution's Governing Council in relation to the re-admission of those students implicated in the riot. In particular two major themes are analysed. Firstly the involvement of outside organisations in this event and secondly the conflict which developed within the Institution's governing structures over who should be re-admitted. By examining the Lovedale riot the article attempts to demonstrate the structural weaknesses within the missionary educational system.