Sam Banda's migration across Southern Africa

 

“My father was a linguist – he could speak fluent Afrikaans, he could speak Portuguese, he could speak all these African languages Xhosa, Zulu, Tswana, Peggi, he learnt them whilst he was here...and you would be surprised my father could not speak Chicewa which is our main language and he could speak all these languages, Zulu, Xhosa...When he left South Africa and worked in Zimbabwe, he was a train steward and he was travelling out of the country...he could speak Portuguese, but he hadn’t been to Mozambique.”

 

During his time in Cape Town, Sam also met and socialised with fellow Tonga, Clements Kadalie - “I think they might have a few things in common, because Clements Kadalie, he was an educated person, so was my father...” Kadalie was his mentor – “he would always mention Kadalie – very much looking up to him as a role model...he was amazed by his leadership skills – being a foreigner, being a person who could call the masses and listen to his views as far as the labour regulations were concerned. So he was very amazed by Clements Kadalie how he could organise people.”

 

Sam remained in Cape Town for 6 or 7 years. During this time he drew on the fashions of the “Scottish Empire” and purchased numerous suits. “He was very into suits...he liked his corporate attire...he liked also bow ties, and Wilson hats, with a feather on the side.” The ‘turn-up suit’ was his mainstay dress-code.

 

In 1957 Sam left South Africa to work in Zimbabwe. “He left Cape Town because he had information about Zimbabwe, when he compared the labour laws...even though they are under colonialism, people in Zimbabwe are far better than the local South Africans.” Travelling by train to Zimbabwe in 1957, Sem was initially employed as a clerk on the Wankie mines. After only a short stint as a clerk, Sem however got a new job in Bulawayo, working as a steward on the Rhodesian Rail network - his language skills a crucial qulaification for this highly regarded job, and one that must have been reletively well paid as Sem went on to buy shares in Rhodesian Railways – “for me that indicates someone who understood, you know, the economy of Zimbabwe, and who understood economics at large.”

 

It was during this period of time that Sam met Ronnie’s mother, Fanny, 18 years his junior. Fanny’s parents were also Malawian. Fanny's father, Joseph Chiumya, from Usisya, Nkhata Bay, had worked as a coal miner at Wankie from the 1930s. The couple married in 1959, with Fanny remaining a housewife throughout her married life. Whilst Sam worked as a steward, the young Banda family lived in Shabalala, Bulawayo until 1968. Jane was born in 1962, follwed by Ronnie, Alice in 1965, Sam in 1967 and Lameck in 1969.

 

Having lived in Shabalala for almost a decade, in 1968 the Banda family moved to Mpopoma, “a fast-growing township with a lot of facilities, amenities”. Mpopoma was a more attractive area with “a lot of schools and transport system was very good, even the CCAP church we used to attend was nearby, by then in those standards it was a very developed township...it was a match-box house, but those days living in that house was a luxury, with a big yard.”

 

At the age of 53, in 1971 Sam returned to Malawi to start “a new life” - drawing on his earnings and pension from the Rhodesian Railways. Though he was happy to retire, a further motivation was the threat that his adopted son, Moses, who could have been drafted into the Zimbabwe Bush War. On their return however the family fell foul of numerous unfortunate events.

 

Whilst in South Africa and Zimbabwe, Sam had arranged for his cousin to build him a house in Blantyre. When he arrived in the city however this proved to be a shoddily built, mud-brick dwelling in Zingwangwa – a place “which my father never liked”. The Banda family soon relocated to a nice house elsewhere in Blantyre, but they were evicted after only a few weeks, as it transpired that the house actually belonged to a corrupt politician. On settling in a second house the family was again evicted on the same grounds.

 

Sam and Fanny’s 6th child, born in 1973, was named Masuzgo, meaning problems. “We were well-to-do by those standards in Zimbabwe, but when we got to Malawi...when my father came he came with the mind of opening up some businesses because he had enough money...When we arrived in Malawi, thinking that our uncle had organised the project for his in-laws, it was a total different story. We saw a small plot, with 3 doors and it was a muddy house – do you know such houses? That you would find in rural areas of Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania. So my father said ‘my friend, after sending you so much money I don’t understand what you did with the money. You know what you can take this and look for me another place, organise me another place and I will buy...all you can do is to help me find a complete house.’ And my uncle organised my father a house, it was a nice big house. After a month or so my father was confronted by the special branch of Malawi to say that the house belonged to a banned politician in Malawi so therefore we were given an ultimatium – 7 days to move out of the house.” The family then moved back to Zingwangwa; but this house also belonged to someone in opposition politics, so they were kicked out again. Sam eventually rented a house in Chilobwe, before moving again to Chimwangunda. However, by this time most of his money “had been taken by these rogues, people who conned him. All the money he spent on all these houses, he never got it back.”

 

Housing woes were coupled with an unsuccessful business. Returning to his old trade, Sam bought fish in Mangochi and transported it in his Land Rover to sell wholesale in Limbe. “This did not prove at all lucrative, and within a couple of months the business folded. He was not involved in politics, but fell foul of unfortunate circumstances... it was very difficult for him to prosper in that kind of business.”

 

With the failure of his business and all his savings wiped, Sam returned to the South African hotel industry in 1973, travelling alone by bus via Zambia, Botswana, due to the conflict in Mozambique. He got a job in Berea, Pretoria at the Casa Mia Hotel, as a head waiter – due to his experience and communication skills. By the end of 1973 he had switched jobs to work at Germiston Lake.

 

He nevertheless remained in contact with his family who remained in Blantyre. “My father liked Mkranda – traditional South African music – like Soul Brothers...each and every opportunity he could find when people were going to Malawi, friends, cousins, people that he knows – he would give them things to give to us...he could buy records and buys clothes, and he would give them to people.” He would also send money via telegram as well as through people. Sem and Fanny’s last child, Tokozile, was born in 1977. Meaning gift, this perhaps reflects the family’s improved circumstances.

 

In 1975 Sam called his adopted son Moses to join him, and Moses worked for Elna Sewing Machine Company as a sales rep from 1976 until 1982.

 

In 1982 however, Moses was deported from South Africa, due to his involvement with the ANC. Joe Modise’s wife, Jackie Sedibe, had Cewa relatives, and Moses had helped with the the escape of the Modise girls from South Africa to Botswana - taking the girls, disguised as men, to Park Station to leave from the country. After the event however, the police found out about Moses' involvement and hearing this news Moses moved from Soweto. The pass laws of South Africa eventually caught up with him, and when it was discovered that he was not South African, Moses was deported. He nevertheless returned to South Africa in 1986 and found work as a parking attendant. Moses passed away in 2011.

 

In the same year, Sam Banda became very sick. Suffering from hyper-tension and a stroke, he decided to leave South Africa in 1982, to live with Fanny in Blantyre. He died the same year. Fanny lives in Blantyre to this day.

 

Despite his successful careers when abroad, his children lived relatively poorly and did not receive a good education. Ronnie however still sees his father’s emigration as a good thing.  “Sitting back and looking back at my father’s adventures in life, I realise that the economy of Malawi is very small...there isn’t much to do. And I realise that it was very difficult for a man to achieve his goals. When a man comes to South Africa a man can feed his family irrespective of the job that he is doing he can put food on the table...Unlike in Malawi, I don’t even know if there is a middle class in Malawi, it is someone who is into politics....just being an average, having an average education it is very hard. My father’s coming down to South Africa, it shaped who I am today and I thank him for that.”