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This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Chikane, Frank

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Frank Chikane was born in Johannesburg on 3 January 1951. He matriculated from Orlando High School in Soweto and registered at the University of the North (Turfloop) in 1972.

At university he became involved in the activities of the South African Student Organisation (SASO). He left the university in 1974 after his education was repeatedly interrupted by detention. In 1979 he trained as a pastor in the Apostolic Faith Mission, but was defrocked because of his political activities. However, he was subsequently reinstated.

In 1987 he succeeded Dr Beyers Naude as Secretary-General of the influential South African Council of Churches (SACC). Chikane had the tough task of taking his organisation through this period of change, drawing more conservative churches back into the SACC and leading the churches into the elections.

His allegiance switched to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the 1980s where he served as a vice-president He was detained on a number of occasions, tortured, and became the target of a security police poison conspiracy.

Chikane was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC at the 50th National Conference of the ANC in Mafikeng in December 1997.

He worked in the office of the Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, from 1994 until 1999. Chikane currently works in the office of the President, Thabo Mbeki, as the Director-General. He has held this position since June 1999.

Source:  http://www.anc.org.za/people/chikane_f.html

Kotze, H. and Greyling, A. 1991. Political Organisations in South Africa A-Z. Tafelberg: Cape Town.

Joyce, Peter. 1999. A Concise Dictionary of South African Biography. Francolin Publishers: Cape Town.

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