Doors of Learning and Culture – from exile to home
- Edited by Gabriele Mohale, Archives & Special Collections, 91¿´Æ¬Íø Library
Through architecture, design and personal histories, this exhibition examines how space became integral to imagining and building a democratic future.
The exhibition, Doors of Learning: Microcosms of a Future South Africa, explores two radical experiments in education, communal living, architecture and international solidarity by the South African liberation movement in exile: the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College and the Dakawa Development Centre in Tanzania. The launch on 29 September featured a panel discussion featuring architects Spencer Hodgson, Dr Jabu Makhubu, and Linda Mvusi, also an architect who was representing her late architect-brother Zama Mvusi, speaking about Zama’s design and architecture at Dakawa and Somafco, amongst other reflections.
This is an extract of a presentation by Spencer Hodgson at the opening of the exhibition. The exhibition is open until 27 November 2026 at the Origins Centre.
Background
50 years ago, the Soweto uprising of 1976 led to a massive exodus of young people who left South Africa into exile. The ANC in exile approached the government of Tanzania, which generously offered a piece of land called Mazimbu, some 10 km from the city of Morogoro. This included the dilapidated factory buildings and houses of an abandoned sisal estate.
The ANC recalled Cde Oswald Dennis from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to lead this project. He had been a bricklayer and trade unionist who had to flee South Africa in 1964. By 1978 Dennis had already mobilised veterans of MKs Luthuli Brigade who had fought in the Wankie Campaign in the former Rhodesia in 1967. Many had skills such as plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, truck-driving and vehicle maintenance. Dennis mobilised them in the renovation of 7 existing old colonial houses at Mazimbu, converting them into temporary student accommodation and classrooms. He also approached and mobilised a Danish Architect and former carpenter, Lars Nordbo, who worked in Morogoro. These two veterans played a critical role in the planning and mobilisation of the project.
The foundations for the first dormitory block were cast during a Letsema on 8 January 1979, the 67th anniversary of the founding of the ANC. Such were the early small steps of an extraordinary process that went on to mobilise a groundswell of solidarity around the world.
On 6 April 1979, in the face of world-wide protests, the apartheid government went ahead with the hanging of a young MK freedom fighter, Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu. Shortly after Mahlangu’s execution, the ANC named the embryonic school in his honour. From that moment on, the ‘Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College (SOMAFCO)’ became an inspiration to youth and solidarity movements around the world.
The plan for the school was an ambitious one that derived its inspiration from the discussions between Dennis and the President of the ANC, Oliver Tambo, during Tambo’s first visit to Mazimbu in February 1978. Our basic building materials were sourced in Tanzania. These included treated softwood for roof trusses, cement and aluminium roof sheets from Dar-es-Salaam and local hardwoods for doors, window frames, cupboards and furniture – all of which were produced in our ‘Vuyusile Mini Joinery Workshop’, established in the old sisal factory, and led for the longest period by Finish volunteers. Materials that could not be consistently sourced in Tanzania were purchased abroad.
Many solidarity volunteers would join the project over the years ahead. It is on record that in 1989 solidarity workers at Mazimbu and Dakawa came from Australia, Cuba, German Democratic Republic, Great Britain, Netherlands, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada and the USA. Most governments of the West regarded the ANC as a terrorist organisation. The support received from these countries relied entirely on ordinary people and their organisations of solidarity. Thus, the ANC Holland Solidarity Hospital, with X-Ray and operating theatres was funded solely by the people of the Netherlands mobilised by the Dutch Anti-Apartheid movement. During the 1980s Swedish non-governmental organisations mobilised an unparalleled surge of solidarity to ensure the rolling development of Somafco. Incredibly, in 1985, the secondary schools of the Nordic countries dedicated a joint Operation Day’s Work to the ANC schools in Tanzania, which raised more than 20 million Swedish Krone for Somafco.
ANC Development Centre, Dakawa
As early as 1981, it became clear that the ANC would need a separate centre to accommodate the long-term needs of a growing exile community, but it was determined that this should not become a refugee camp – it was named the ‘ANC Development Centre, Dakawa’. The planning process was attended and supported by the Norwegian company NORPLAN, which assisted in establishing the development framework for 10 villages for some 5000 people, for surrounding farming activity and for a central administrative hub, a Vocational Training Centre and a community centre, including nursery school and creche.
Given the large number of houses to be built, the ANC decided to reduce costs and further improve buildability, by reducing the floor area, for both two- and three-bedroom houses. It was also decided to adopt two concrete wall prefabrication systems, one from Norway and one from the GDR , which gave rise to the BAUHAUS research project and indeed to this exhibition. Both systems went into operation by 1987. The GDR’s Wall, Panel column system (WPC) was supported by a youth brigade of GDR volunteers.
What was handed over
In July 1992, Oliver Tambo led an ANC contingent to the official handover of the two centres at Mazimbu and Dakawa. The ceremony took place under the central dome of the complex, now known as the Nelson Mandela Freedom Square and included many of the donor countries and organisations that supported the development of these two centres. All the Nordic countries were represented. For the ANC and donor organisations, the gathering signalled the end of the ANC in exile.
After their handover, different Tanzanian Ministries took over responsibility for the various facilities. The Vocational Training Centre at Dakawa is now run by the Ministry of Labour. The school at Dakawa, formerly the Ruth First Education Orientation Centre is now a girl’s school for 1000 pupils. Our construction base at Dakawa has been extended by Tanzania to accommodate a Teachers Training College and these facilities are supported by just under 100 houses, mainly located at Village V2.
SOMAFCO is now the Solomon Mahlangu Campus of the Sokoine University in the adjacent City of Morogoro. The college hosts more than 1 800 students who are trained by 136 staff who teach Biology, Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Education, Geography and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Informatics and Computer Sciences. The primary school and children’s centre now function together as the Chief Albert Luthuli Primary and Pre-School with a total of 1 500 pupils.
The National Heritage Council of South Africa recognises the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Campus of the Sokoine University as one of South Africa’s heritage sites. One of the key historical features is the cemetery, known as Heroes Square, where so many of our comrades are buried.
The two ANC centres have endured and continue to serve the generous people of Tanzania.