History Matters Blog :

Alan Paton, author of Cry The Beloved Country, is born in Pietermaritzburg

Alan PatonAlan Paton

Date: 11 January, 1903

Alan Paton, is considered one of the early liberal thinkers and activists of the Segregationist and later, the Apartheid era in South African politics. Apart from the novel Cry The Beloved Country, a classic in South African liberal literature, Paton was also an activist dedicated to the realisation of the potential of Black people denied since the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

Between 1935 and 1949 Paton became Principal of the Diepkloof Reformatory, a school that catered for Black, African offenders who would otherwise return to a life of crime at the end of their incarceration. Paton introduced what was considered liberal measures in dealing with offenders under his care. He allowed offenders to remain unguarded, flouting the governments "closed dormitory" policy for dealing with offenders. And as these offenders showed higher levels of trustworthiness, they were allowed to first work outside the compound unguarded, later allowed to live with care families outside the dormitories and finally allowed home visitations. It is recorded that less than 1% of those allowed home visitations did not return to the dormitories.  

Paton established the South African Liberal Party (SALP) with a view to challenging the growing hegemony of the Nationalist Party (NP) government and its Apartheid policies. At this stage Paton's opposition to the government had grown considerably, making him a target of repression. In 1960, on his return from the US where he had been presented with the annual Freedom Award,

 

Paton had his passport seized by the authorities and never returned until 1970. He continued to write and publish several novels, poems and biographies. Paton died in April 1988, leaving his son, Jonathan Paton, carry on the mantle of the family's literary tradition. Alan Paton's house adjacent to the Diepkloof Reformatory still stands today, considered one of the sites on the Soweto Tour Route. It is now part of the Doornkop Military Base.    

References:

  1. Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.)