A portion of the country’s longest straight road (Church Street in Pretoria central running from Church Square to Atteridgeville) is named after WF Nkomo – A silent hero whose contributions do not go unnoticed.

A medical doctor, community leader, political activist and teacher born in 1915 in Pretoria, Makapanstad. William Frederick Nkomo was the founding chairman of the ANCYL and was one of the the first black students to serve on the SRC at Wits University while studying medicine on a scholarship in 1941. He relinquished many of his political positions I order to complete his medical studies.

He was also a steward of the Methodist Church and a Trustee of the Bantu Welfare Trust. He was a mediator between the government and the victims following the 1961 Sharpeville Massacre. He delivered an iconic address on the 14th August 1968 at UCT’s day of Affirmation of Academic and human freedom titled ‘The Courage to Think’,which can be accessed online tackling issues of youth courage and revolt.

He mentored young people and founded a Secondary School in Marabastad and granted scholarships to help students pursue medial and many other higher education qualifications. WF Nkomo also had a medical practice that served the poor and elderly free of charge.

He passed on in 1972 following a cardiac arrest at Steve Buko Academic Hospital and is buried alongside his wife, Susan at the Rebecca Street Cemetery in Pretoria.

I honor the remarkable being and Silent Hero that was WF Nkomo.

Credit to Wikipedia.org