Donald Card

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The Hon. Donald J. Card (14 July 1928 – 12 July 2022) was a South African politician, diplomat and statesman who was Mayor of East London, South Africa and Head of the municipal government in the former Cape Province until his retirement.[1] He was portrayed by British actor Julian Glover in the 1987 Richard Attenborough film Cry Freedom.[2]

The Honourable
Donald J. Card
Lt. Col
Nelson Mandela and Donald Card (2004)
Head of the Municipal Government
Former
In office
1980–1989
Mayor of East London
Metropolitan Municipality
 Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa
In office
1980–1989
Appointed byNational Government
PresidentMarais Viljoen
P. W. Botha
Succeeded byBuffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Premier
Personal details
Born14 July 1928
Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Died12 July 2022 (aged 93)
East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
CitizenshipSouth Africa
OccupationPolitician
Diplomat
Peacemaker
ProfessionEstablishment Figure

Early Life

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Card was born on 14 July 1928 in Port St Johns, South Africa, into a prosperous family descended from the Drake Baronets.[3][4]

Municipal Leadership

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In 1972, Card was elected as a representative to the municipal government and later became mayor. As head of the municipal government for three terms, he oversaw governance, urban management, and policy execution during a period of rising domestic tension and global condemnation of apartheid.[5]

Political Statesmanship

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Political Ideology

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Card was considered a political conservative. Though not overtly partisan, he was widely associated with South Africa’s establishment politics. In the late 1980s, however, he began distancing himself from ideological rigidity. In 1989, he took part in informal talks with exiled African National Congress (ANC) leaders in Lusaka, contributing to the early stages of political transition and reform.[6]

Duncan Village Conflict

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Card was present during the unrest in Duncan Village on 9 November 1952, following the murder of Catholic Dominican nun, Sister Aidan Quinlan (Elsie Quinlan). The attack on Quinlan triggered a violent response by state authorities, during which an estimated 200 residents of the township were killed. Card played a vital role in the administration’s response and subsequent investigations. The incident became one of the most brutal early flashpoints of apartheid-era conflict.[6][7]

Controversies

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Card was named in 1997 in testimonies submitted to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Witnesses alleged his involvement in abuses of power and high-profile corruption during earlier phases of his career. Card denied the allegations, and no formal action was taken against him.[6][8]

Role in National Reconciliation

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In 2004, during the inauguration of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, Card returned 78 handwritten letters written by Nelson Mandela on Robben Island between 1969 and 1971. The gesture was interpreted as a powerful act of personal and national reconciliation. President Mandela publicly thanked Card and acknowledged his careful preservation of the letters over three decades. The two remained friends thereafter and corresponded frequently in the years that followed.[5][6][9]

Cultural Depiction

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Cry Freedom

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Card was portrayed by British actor Julian Glover in Cry Freedom (1987), a biographical drama directed by Richard Attenborough. The film centres on the relationship between journalist Donald Woods, played by Kevin Kline, and anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, portrayed by Denzel Washington, set against the backdrop of South Africa’s political unrest. Card is depicted as a senior establishment figure, navigating the legal and political tensions of the apartheid regime. Following the film’s release, Card and Attenborough developed a close friendship, united by shared concerns over justice and reconciliation.[1][2]

Later life and Death

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Card died on 12 July 2022 at the age of 93, following a collapse at a residence in the Eastern Cape.[9]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b "FORMER EAST LONDON MAYOR DENIES ASSAULT ON TWO PAC MEN: TRC". Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. South African Press Association. 14 May 1997. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "South African History Online. "Cry Freedom (1987)"".
  3. ^ Thomas 2007.
  4. ^ Bank & Bank 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Daily Dispatch Archives. "Card Elected to East London Council"".
  6. ^ a b c d "Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (1998). Final Report, Volume 2. Pretoria: Department of Justice" (PDF).
  7. ^ "South African History Online. "Elsie Quinlan (Sister Aidan Quinlan)"".
  8. ^ "Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (1998). Final Report, Volume 2. Pretoria: Department of Justice" (PDF).
  9. ^ a b "Daily Dispatch".

Sources

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  • Bank, Leslie J.; Bank, Andrew (2013), "Untangling the Lion's Tale: Violent masculinity and the ethics of biography in the 'Curious' case of the apartheid-era policeman Donald Card", Journal of Southern African Studies, 39, University of the Western Cape: 7–30, doi:10.1080/03057070.2013.768792, hdl:10566/2965
  • Ntsebeza, Lungisile (1993). Youth in urban African townships, 1945–1992 : a case study of the East London townships (Master's). UKZN. hdl:10413/6351.
  • Thomas, Cornelius (2005). "Bloodier than black and white: liberation history seen through detective sergeant Donald Card's narrative of his investigations of Congo and Poqo activities, 1960–1965". New Contree. 11 (50). hdl:10394/5313.
  • Thomas, Cornelius (2007). Tangling the lions tale:Donald Card, from Aparthied era cop to crusader for justice. East London, South Africa: Donald Card. ISBN 9780620390811. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021 – via Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory.
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