Sally Motlana Biography
Sally Motlana arrived in Johannesburg in 1931 after being born in Pilgrim’s Rest in the then-Eastern Transvaal. She first lived in Vrededorp before moving to Sophiatown in 1933.
She was unable to complete her studies after receiving her junior certificate due to a lack of finance and was sent to the Diocesan Training School by Anglican missionaries to train as a primary school teacher. She completed her matriculation in 1949 while still teaching. The next year, she began her studies at the University of Fort Hare. She began to question everything in her life – her surroundings and her country – at this moment, and in 1951 she was chosen secretary of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.
In keeping with the spirit of the Defiance Campaign, she resigned from her teaching position in 1954, following the implementation of Bantu schooling.
On 9 February 1955, just seven years after she took government, the police stormed Sophiatown and forcibly evacuated the residents to Meadowlands, Soweto. Motlana demonstrated not only her ability as a political fighter but also her spirituality and love for community-based development efforts during the system’s battle against its victims.
During the church’s most difficult period, she became an energizing factor in convincing the South African Council of Churches (SACC) to take a stand against an unjust system.
This voice was elected to serve as national president of the Black Housewives’ League (BHL) for 20 years in the 1970s, and she is currently the organization’s honorary president. The BHL erected a six-classroom Primary School in Polokwane under her guidance. The BHL was given land in the same region in 1988 and used it to cultivate vegetables. She arranged for students from the Potchefstroom Department of Agriculture to come and teach the Polokwane BHL Branch about improved ways to cultivate vegetables.
Other locations that began vegetable programs under her leadership included the BHL in Lebowakgomo, Bushbuckridge, and Kiblaren. The BHL Mphahlele Branch erected a crèche in 1989. More crèches were constructed in different places.
The BHL, led by her, refused to join forces with their white counterparts because, according to her, the white counterparts were concerned about the price of butter, whereas the BHL was concerned about the price of maize meal, which was and still is a basic food for black people.
She traveled widely for the SACC and the All African Council of Churches, raising international awareness about injustice and the dehumanizing impacts of apartheid.
Motlana had to find other ways to supplement the family’s income because she was continuously arrested by the police. She opened the ‘Sizwe’ grocery store in Mofolo Central, Soweto, which is still open today.
She was imprisoned during the Soweto uprising in 1976. She was jailed once more in 1977 and 1978. Motlana found time to serve on the boards of Operation Hunger, the Johannesburg Diocesan Council, the Institute for Multiparty Democracy, and the Urban Foundation during this time. She was also an elder leader at St Paul’s Anglican Church, where she collaborated with Bishop David Nkwe to launch a candle-making project, the proceeds of which were used to fund self-help community programs.
Sally Motlana’s life is the story of a woman who lost her heart in Sophiatown but rediscovered her spirit when Soweto ignited in June 1976. She invigorated everyone around her with the power of her profound spirituality, and she defied apartheid brutalities by confronting the system wherever she went in life.
Young members of the Soweto-based choir, Isiphephelo Choral Society, of whom she is a patron, still appreciate her voice.
Sally Motlana Death
Sally Motlana died on Saturday morning, June 24, 2023, which was a terrible loss for the people of Soweto.
Things she has done for Soweto
Sally Motlana’s activism has had an incalculable influence. She helped to the abolition of the cruel apartheid system by her advocacy and dedication. Her work helped to lay the groundwork for a more inclusive and equitable South Africa. Motlana’s unwavering spirit and dedication continue to inspire future activists, reminding them of the importance of perseverance and communal cooperation.
Sally Motlana Net Worth
Sally Motlana’s net worth is expected to be between $1 and $5 million as of 2023, with room for further increase.
Conclusion
Sally Motlana, a tireless crusader for her community, has made an everlasting impression on South African history. Her dedication to justice, equality, and education distinguished her as a great change agent. Sally Motlana’s legacy reminds us that one person’s dedication and enthusiasm may have a cascading impact, motivating others to join the battle for a better future.
Who is Sally Motlana?
Sally Motlana (1927-) Awarded for: Her outstanding contribution to women’s emancipation and upliftment, as well as her fight for a non-racial, just, and democratic South Africa. Sally Motlana arrived in Johannesburg in 1931 after being born in Pilgrim’s Rest in the then-Eastern Transvaal.
