Richard S. Canca

Richard S Canca was born in 1924 in Transkei. Canca was a leading figure in the All African Convention (AAC). Born about 1924, he obtained an M.A. degree from the University of Cape Town. In 1948 he was an AAC delegate to the joint conference of the AAC and theAfrican National Congress (ANC). As a teacher in Idutywa in the Transkei in the early 1950s, he edited the journal of the Cape African Teachers' Association and was a vigorous opponent of the Bantu Education system. In 1955 he abandoned teaching and took up law, working for some time as an assistant to Wycliffe Tsotsi. In 1957-1958 he provided legal assistance to Transkei groups resisting implementation of the Bantu Authorities Act. At this time he was general secretary of the AAC and was active in its affiliated organization, the Transkei Organized Bodies. He was imprisoned for a short time during the Transkei emergency that began in late 1960 but was released because of ill health. He was placed under ban in 1963.