Pixley Seme, lawyer, journalist and co-founder of SANNC is born

On 1 October 1881, Pixley ka Isaka Seme was born at the Inanda mission station in Natal (now kwaZulu Natal). Seme was a founding member of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) in 1912, which was renamed the African National Congress (ANC) in 1923. The organisation was formed as a result of Black dissatisfaction with the South Africa Act of 1909, their treatment after the South African War and the numerous laws being passed that controlled and restricted Black movement and work. Seme, nephew of Chief Langalibalele Dube, was elected Treasurer-General in the first inaugural meeting of the SANNC in 1912. He was the barrister and President of the ANC from 1930 to 1936 when he was ousted by Reverend Z.R. Mahabane. Subsequent to this, circulation figures for his newspaper Abantu Batho dropped, resulting in its closure. His effort to re-launch his political career with the 'All Africa Convention' was not very successful. Seme died in Johannesburg in 1951.