Biko, Stephen Bantu (Steve)

Anti-Apartheid Activist
(18.12.1946 King Williams Town/South Africa - 12.09.1977 Pretoria/South Africa)
Although studying medicine, Biko engaged himself at an early stage in the National Union South African Students NUSAS, but since, according to Biko, they were not focussing enough on problems of the black students he founded in 1969 the South African Students Organisation SASO. In 1972 he was among the founders of the Black Peoples Convention BPC, some sort of cover organisation for various groups of activists among the black community. Biko was elected as president of this convention, which consequently caused his dismission from university. 1973 he was banned, meaning under apartheid-law, that he was not allowed to leave King Williams Town. Because of accusations of ongoing activity within the anti-apartheids movement Biko was arrested several times. So also on 21.08.1977 when he was arrested in Port Elizabeth. During the interrogation on the 7th September Biko received serious head injuries, that made him slip on 11.09.1977 into a stage of semi-conciousness. The police doctor suggested to bring Biko into a hospital but instead he was carried tied and naked on the back of a pick-up to Pretoria, more than 1200 km away. There he died some hours later on the 12th of September 1977 on the floor of his prison cell. Mainly due to efforts of the South African journalist Donald Woods Biko became also internationally wellknown as a hero of the black movement society of South Africa.