Advocate Dumalisile Philemon Pearce Nokwe, known as Duma Nokwe, has received a posthumous national honour. President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially awarded him the honorary title of Senior Counsel for the Republic of South Africa.
This special recognition comes nearly five decades after his passing. The announcement was made on 16 May 2025, ahead of Nokwe’s reburial at West Park Cemetery, Johannesburg.
Duma Nokwe’s Courage Remembered at Special Reburial
President Ramaphosa has also accorded Nokwe a Special Provincial Official Funeral. The event, set for 17 May 2025, will include a presidential tribute.
Nokwe will be reburied alongside his wife, Vuyiswa Malangabi-Nokwe, a respected activist and educator. She passed away in 2008. The reburial honours both their sacrifices for South Africa’s freedom.
A Trailblazer in South Africa’s Legal Profession
Duma Nokwe made history as the first Black advocate admitted to the Johannesburg Society of Advocates. He earned this achievement in an era when racial restrictions dominated the legal field.
Though officially recognised now, his contribution to law and justice has long been celebrated by activists and legal experts. The honorary Senior Counsel title is one of the highest distinctions in the profession.
Legal Practice Council and Advocacy Groups Led the Call
This recognition followed a formal application made by the Legal Practice Council and the Duma Nokwe Group of Advocates. They called on the President to acknowledge Nokwe’s groundbreaking role in South African law.
President Ramaphosa’s decision honours Nokwe under the Legal Practice Act of 2014. The law allows for the conferral of Senior Counsel status to those who meet certain professional standards, even posthumously.
Exile, Activism and a Legacy of Resistance
Born in 1927, Nokwe earned a BSc degree from the University of Fort Hare before becoming a teacher. His political activism began early and intensified during the 1952 Defiance Campaign.
He was jailed for his involvement and later dismissed by the Transvaal Education Department. In 1953, international travels raised his profile as an anti-apartheid voice, but also led to government restrictions upon his return.
Champion for Freedom, Both at Home and Abroad
After qualifying as an advocate, Nokwe faced further discrimination when denied chambers in Johannesburg’s legal district. This experience pushed him deeper into the liberation struggle.
He became Secretary-General of the African National Congress in 1958. For years, Nokwe mobilised communities against apartheid and worked with international groups like the Organisation of African Unity.
Final Years in Exile and a National Tribute Decades Later
Directed to leave South Africa in 1963, Nokwe continued the struggle abroad. He remained active until his death in Lusaka, Zambia, in January 1978 at the age of 50.
His mortal remains were repatriated in 2024. The nation now pays tribute to this legal pioneer, confirming his lasting place in South Africa’s history.
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