Goniwe , Matthew , 1947-1985 , teacher and political activist in South Africa

Matthew Goniwe was born in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa, in 1947. He attended St James' Primary school and moved on to Sam Xhallie Secondary school, where he obtained his junior certificate.
After leaving school he obtained a teachers' diploma from Fort Hare University and returned to Sam Xhallie school to teach maths and science. In 1974 Goniwe left for a teaching post in Transkei and married Nyameka, a social worker. Matthew's political involvement in Transkei led to his arrest in 1977, when he was convicted under the Suppression of Communism Act and sentenced to four years in Umtata Prison. After his spell in prison, Goniwe returned to teaching in Graaff-Reinet and completed a BA degree through Unisa. He was then transferred to Cradock and appointed the headmaster of Sam Xhallie High. In 1983 Goniwe called a mass meeting to discuss how the community should respond to high rents, and in the same year the Department of Education and Training (DET) tried to transfer him to Graaff-Reinet. This caused teachers and pupils from Cradock's seven schools to embark on a 15-month class boycott - the longest in the country's history.
On 27 June 1985 Goniwe and three other activists, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli were killed and mutilated by unnamed members of the Security Forces.