Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies

Date: 29 Mar 1982
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies

Journalist, farm manager, clerk, interpreter and political activist, Henry Selby Msimang, died on 29 March 1982 in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg. Msimang was a founding member of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), renamed the African National Congress (ANC) in 1923. He was a staunch labour organiser, who teamed up with Clements Kadalie to form the national Industrial Commercial Union (ICU). Due to differences between the two, Msimang resigned as president of the union, but rejoined after Kadalie's resignation in 1929. Msimang was editor of the newspaper Morumioa-Inxusa (Messenger) and author of numerous articles. He was a founder member of the Liberal Party of South Africa (LPSA), a multiracial party formed in 1953. Msimang was married twice and left behind four sons and four daughters.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Verwey, E.J. (ed)(1995). New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.1 , Pretoria: HSRC.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012480

South African History Online (2011) 'Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012480 (Accessed: 28 July 2026).

South African History Online, Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012480, (accessed 28 July 2026).

"Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012480. Accessed 28 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Journalist and political activist Selby Msimang dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012480.