Patrick Chamusso
Encyclopedia
Patrick Chamusso is a member of the African National Congress
party of South Africa
who participated in the militant actions of the organization during the apartheid
era.
One of three sons, Patrick came to live in South Africa
when as a teenager he followed his migrant worker
father to work in the mines
of South Africa
performing odd jobs. After his father's death, Chamusso's mother remarried and bore another daughter. He worked in various jobs on the mines and later found work as a house painter and street photographer.
When he was 28, he got a job at the Sasol
's synthetic fuel
plant at Secunda (Secunda CTL), the largest coal liquefaction
plant in the world, located several hours east of Johannesburg
. Although not formally educated, he advanced quickly and ended up as a driver, a position that was well-paid. His main job was to fetch coal from a neighboring mine and bring it into the refinery. A talented soccer player who had formerly played for local leagues, his abilities later made him popular among his co-workers and in the community.
Chamusso was arrested in 1980 by South African Special Branch for conspiring with the ANC
to bomb the Secunda refinery
, a crime he insisted he did not commit. He was later released without charges being laid. He claimed that he had been tortured whilst a prisoner. He fled to Mozambique where he joined Umkhonto we Sizwe
, the militant arm of the ANC
.
After military training, he returned to South Africa where he single-handedly carried out a second, partly successful, bombing at Secunda, which - as was intended - resulted in no casualties. After a massive manhunt, he was arrested and ultimately sentenced to 24 years in prison on Robben Island
. In 1994, as the apartheid system began to be dismantled, having served 10 years, Chamusso, was released under the new government's amnesty
policy.
After his release, Chamusso married a woman named Conney, and the couple had three children, in addition to fostering 80 AIDS
orphans at their home in Mpumalanga
.
Chamusso rose to world prominence in October 2006, when Catch a Fire
, a biographical film depicting his struggle against the system of Apartheid in South Africa
, was released.
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...
party of 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...
who participated in the militant actions of the organization during the apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
era.
One of three sons, Patrick came to live in 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...
when as a teenager he followed his migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
father to work in the mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of 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...
performing odd jobs. After his father's death, Chamusso's mother remarried and bore another daughter. He worked in various jobs on the mines and later found work as a house painter and street photographer.
When he was 28, he got a job at the Sasol
Sasol
Sasol Ltd. is a South African company involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. In particular, they produce petrol and diesel profitably from coal and natural gas using Fischer-Tropsch process...
's synthetic fuel
Synthetic fuel
Synthetic fuel or synfuel is a liquid fuel obtained from coal, natural gas, oil shale, or biomass. It may also refer to fuels derived from other solids such as plastics or rubber waste. It may also refer to gaseous fuels produced in a similar way...
plant at Secunda (Secunda CTL), the largest coal liquefaction
Coal liquefaction
-Methods:The liquefaction processes are classified as direct conversion to liquids processes and indirect conversion to liquids processeses. Direct processes are carbonization and hydrogenation.-Pyrolysis and carbonization processes:...
plant in the world, located several hours east of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. Although not formally educated, he advanced quickly and ended up as a driver, a position that was well-paid. His main job was to fetch coal from a neighboring mine and bring it into the refinery. A talented soccer player who had formerly played for local leagues, his abilities later made him popular among his co-workers and in the community.
Chamusso was arrested in 1980 by South African Special Branch for conspiring with the ANC
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...
to bomb the Secunda refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, a crime he insisted he did not commit. He was later released without charges being laid. He claimed that he had been tortured whilst a prisoner. He fled to Mozambique where he joined Umkhonto we Sizwe
Umkhonto we Sizwe
Umkhonto we Sizwe , translated "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress which fought against the South African apartheid government. MK launched its first guerrilla attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961...
, the militant arm of the ANC
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...
.
After military training, he returned to South Africa where he single-handedly carried out a second, partly successful, bombing at Secunda, which - as was intended - resulted in no casualties. After a massive manhunt, he was arrested and ultimately sentenced to 24 years in prison on Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
. In 1994, as the apartheid system began to be dismantled, having served 10 years, Chamusso, was released under the new government's amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
policy.
After his release, Chamusso married a woman named Conney, and the couple had three children, in addition to fostering 80 AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
orphans at their home in Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
.
Chamusso rose to world prominence in October 2006, when Catch a Fire
Catch a Fire (film)
Catch a Fire is a 2006 dramatic thriller about activists against apartheid in South Africa. The film was directed by Phillip Noyce, from a screenplay written by Shawn Slovo...
, a biographical film depicting his struggle against the system of Apartheid in 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...
, was released.