Durban — The community came out in numbers to witness the official opening of Dr JL Dube High School by KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka in KwaMashu, north of Durban on Thursday.
Hlomuka unveiled a commemorative plaque at the school in the presence of his department officials, community leaders, members and pupils. He also met the teachers and support staff and then briefed the media.
“As a department, we are excited to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for our community that is conducive for teaching and learning to take place,” said Hlomuka.
KZN Education’s Head of Department, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, welcomed attendees from head office, stakeholders of the education sector and local leadership from all relevant sectors.
He congratulated the MEC on having the pleasure of unveiling the historically rich high school, named after Struggle stalwart Dr JL Dube.
School principal Sipho Magwaza gave the history of the previously dilapidated school and how he persistently engaged the Cotton On organisation, pleading for donations, which evidently paid off.
Dr JL Dube was a distinguished South African essayist, philosopher, educator, politician, publisher, editor, novelist and poet and the founding president of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which evolved into the ANC in 1923.
Sonta Ngcobo, a close relative of Dube, said Dr JL Dube was the grandson of the hero warrior of one of King Shaka’s regiments. Dube was the trusted leader of the regiment that defeated Zwide, who had been giving King Shaka a tough time.
“When King Dingane and his brothers killed King Shaka, they decided to kill the Dube regiment. Dube’s widow ran away with others and ended up settling at Umzinyathi, in Inanda,” he said.
“Dube’s widow Mayembe was against the custom of ukungenwa. She came to Inanda with her son Kakonina.”
Sonta said they found missionaries Daniel and Lucy Lindley, who had been struggling to convert people to Christianity. Mayembe and her son Kakonina were the first converts and as a result, Kakonina became the first Pastor of the American Board Church.
He further said his name changed to James.
James became the father of John Langalibalele Dube. There were no surnames at the time. So, they took the name of Dube, the father of James, and grandfather of John, and made it a surname. The briefing ended with a walkabout and physical verification of all buildings in the school by the MEC and guests.
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