Percy Qoboza, NF ’76

After his return to South Africa, Qoboza (1938–1988) was detained and held for five months. The South African government shut down two black newspapers he edited, The World and The Post

The thing that scared me most during my Cambridge year was the fact that I had accepted injustice and discrimination as “part and parcel of our traditional way of life.” After my year, the things I had accepted made me angry. It is because of this that the character of my newspaper has changed tremendously. The thing that scared me most during my Cambridge year was the fact that I had accepted injustice and discrimination as “part and parcel of our traditional way of life.” After my year, the things I had accepted made me angry We are an angry newspaper. For this reason we have made some formidable enemies, and my own personal life is not worth a cent … But I see my role and the role of those people who share my views as articulating, without fear or favor, the aspirations of our people. It is a very hard thing to do.

From “In Memoriam: Percy Qoboza” by Dennis Pather, NF ’88, in Nieman Reports, Spring 1988