Clements Kadalie
Encyclopedia
Clements Kadalie was South Africa
's first black national trade union
leader.
, presently Malawi
. He was the second born son of Mr. and Mrs. Musa Kadalie Muwamba. He was the grandson of Chiweyu, a paramount chief of the Tonga of Nyasaland
. Educated by Church of Scotland missionaries, Kadalie completed teacher training in 1912. After a short stint of primary school teaching, Kadalie in early 1915 joined the stream of Nyasalanders seeking employment in neighboring South Africa
.
In 1918 Kadalie settled in Cape Town
. Here he befriended Arthur F. Batty, an emerging trade unionist and political activist. With Batty's advice Kadalie in early 1919 founded the Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU), later renamed the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union of Africa, to protest against unfair labour laws and to protect workers’ rights.
The ICU spread in the mid-twenties throughout South Africa until by 1927 it could boast a membership of one hundred thousand - the largest trade union ever to have taken root in the continent of Africa. Kadalie headed the ICU from its inception in 1919 until his resignation as national secretary in 1929.
In December 1919, Kadalie gained prominence with the success of the dockworker's strike, which prevented the export of all goods through Cape Town Harbour facilities. The dockworker's strike lasted fourteen days and involved 2.000 men. The strike laid the foundation for Kadalie's development into a leader known to thousands of people within South Africa.
On November 24, 1920 Kadalie was arrested and issued with a deportation order, naming him a prohibited immigrant and ordering him to leave South Africa within three days.
In May 1927, Kadalie represented the ICU at the international Labour Conference in Geneva
.
In 1928, internal fighting within the ICU saw Kadalie being sacked by William G. Ballinger with the full backing of the executive committee of the ICU.
In May 1928 Kadalie and six other trade union leaders of the union were arrested under the Native Administration Act. The Act made it a criminal offence to arouse racial animosity towards the white population. Kadalie later formed an independent ICU in East London. On top of that Kadalie was a provincial organiser of the African National Congress
(ANC). He never returned to Malawi
and stayed in East London with his wife Emma and five children until he died in 1951.
Kadalie's daughter, Rhoda, is a prominent academic and a member of the Democratic Alliance.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's first black national trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader.
Life
Clements Kadalie was born in April 1896 in Nkhata Bay District at Chifira village near the Bandawe mission station in NyasalandNyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
, presently Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. He was the second born son of Mr. and Mrs. Musa Kadalie Muwamba. He was the grandson of Chiweyu, a paramount chief of the Tonga of Nyasaland
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
. Educated by Church of Scotland missionaries, Kadalie completed teacher training in 1912. After a short stint of primary school teaching, Kadalie in early 1915 joined the stream of Nyasalanders seeking employment in neighboring South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In 1918 Kadalie settled in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. Here he befriended Arthur F. Batty, an emerging trade unionist and political activist. With Batty's advice Kadalie in early 1919 founded the Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU), later renamed the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union of Africa, to protest against unfair labour laws and to protect workers’ rights.
The ICU spread in the mid-twenties throughout South Africa until by 1927 it could boast a membership of one hundred thousand - the largest trade union ever to have taken root in the continent of Africa. Kadalie headed the ICU from its inception in 1919 until his resignation as national secretary in 1929.
In December 1919, Kadalie gained prominence with the success of the dockworker's strike, which prevented the export of all goods through Cape Town Harbour facilities. The dockworker's strike lasted fourteen days and involved 2.000 men. The strike laid the foundation for Kadalie's development into a leader known to thousands of people within South Africa.
On November 24, 1920 Kadalie was arrested and issued with a deportation order, naming him a prohibited immigrant and ordering him to leave South Africa within three days.
In May 1927, Kadalie represented the ICU at the international Labour Conference in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
In 1928, internal fighting within the ICU saw Kadalie being sacked by William G. Ballinger with the full backing of the executive committee of the ICU.
In May 1928 Kadalie and six other trade union leaders of the union were arrested under the Native Administration Act. The Act made it a criminal offence to arouse racial animosity towards the white population. Kadalie later formed an independent ICU in East London. On top of that Kadalie was a provincial organiser of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC). He never returned to Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
and stayed in East London with his wife Emma and five children until he died in 1951.
Kadalie's daughter, Rhoda, is a prominent academic and a member of the Democratic Alliance.
External links
- http://www.bookrags.com/biography-clements-kadalie/index.html
- http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/chronology/special-chrono/governance/icu.htm
- http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/kadalie-c.htm