Poet and writer James Matthews dies at 95

President Cyril Ramaphosa has celebrated the life of renowned struggle poet and writer, James Matthews.

Matthews died on Saturday in Cape Town at the age of 95.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa is “deeply saddened” by the passing of Matthews.

“President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the Matthews family whose loss is shared by communities across South Africa and associates globally of the poet, writer and patron of the Congress of South African Writers who exercised his creative endowment and political voice for close on 80 years of the 95 years of his life.”

Captivated

Ramaphosa said Matthews’s voice will “ring in our consciousness following his departure.”

“We will remain captivated and inspired by the rage and elegance  he articulated the stark struggles of the oppressed.

“We will be comforted by the many works he has left for us to revisit and by our memories of his appearances at rallies, ghoembas, the frontlines of street protest and intimate circles of kindred creatives where, beret askew on his head, he would feed the souls and fighting spirit of those around him,” Ramaphosa said.

Powerful voice

Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said Matthews was so much more than just a writer.

“He was integral to the anti-apartheid movement, giving a powerful voice through his writing to the oppressed. He was an important part of our province and country’s artistic fabric. He will be sorely missed and his contribution rightly celebrated.

“I extend the condolences of myself and our whole government to James’ family, friends, loved ones and all those who knew him. We celebrate him and the lives that he touched. We also know that he lives on through the many other artists he inspired,” Winde said.

ALSO READ: General Georg Meiring who served under Mandela dies at 84

History

Matthews was a member of the National Order of Ikamanga, who received the honour in 2004 for his excellent achievements in literature, contributing to journalism and his inspirational commitment to the struggle for a non-racial South Africa.

Born in District Six into a working-class family, a teenage James Matthews worked as a messenger at a Cape Town newspaper where, in his own words, his introduction to a library was “one of wonderment”.

This revelation started him on a career and life’s mission of journalism, poetry, short stories, essays and tireless denunciation of the apartheid system, the response to which included periods of detention and denial of a passport for more than a decade.

ALSO READ: Cradock Four inquest hits snag, case postponed to June 2025