When Mda Mda first arrived at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) in 1941, fresh out of Lovedale College and full of curiosity, he was startled when someone called him “Mr Mda.” It was a title he’d never heard attached to his name before.
Fast forward 84 years, at the age of 102, the man once surprised at being called “Mr” has now officially earned a new title, Dr Mda Mda, following the conferment of an honorary Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) by his alma mater during its Autumn Graduation ceremony today.
Born on 25 March 1923, Mr Mda was the second of eight children of Simeon Slingsby and Leah Slokazana (née Mzimba) Mda. His upbringing was shaped by his parents’ profound influence, his mother, a gifted academic and pianist; his father, a philosopher, deep thinker and successful farmer. Though originally from Mthatha, his family lived across parts of the former Transkei, Lusikisiki, Tsolo and Mthatha, following the father’s professional path.
Dr Mda matriculated from Lovedale College in 1940, with History already emerging as his favourite subject. The following year, he enrolled at the UFH, majoring in History and Native Law and Administration, completing his BA in 1943 along with a Diploma in Education. While he had intended to teach, his father had other ideas, encouraging him to switch to law.
He registered for an LLB at the University of Cape Town in 1944, while also teaching at Langa High School. The financial and academic strain forced him to leave UCT without completing his degree.
Yet, determined not to abandon his legal dreams, he took non-degree law courses through Fort Hare, and later convinced a Mthatha law firm, Gush, Muggleston & Heathcore, to accept him as an articled clerk.
Despite a lack of mentorship and exposure to basic legal procedures at the firm, Mr Mda buried himself in legal texts and passed his attorney’s admission with the help of his own study and sheer willpower.
But what he remembers most from his Fort Hare days wasn’t just the books, the 8pm curfews, or the no-alcohol policy, it was the first time someone called him “Mr.”
“I was a young man and never expected to be called Mr. I was really startled, but it was part of Fort Hare’s orientation to etiquette and respect under Dr Alexender Kerr, who was a stern disciplinarian. Being called Mr was the small word that carried a big meaning for a young man like me from rural Eastern Cape. I knew then I had to live up to it,” he said.
After Fort Hare, politics came into Mr Mda’s life in Cape Town, where he was introduced to the Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM), formed in 1943. The organisation’s principles, non-racialism, non-collaboration, and the quest for full and equal citizenship echoed deeply with him. The NEUM, which later became the New Unity Movement (NUM), shaped his lifelong political consciousness and remains his ideological home.
His legal career, which focused primarily on criminal and native law, spanned several decades. He practised until his retirement in 2004, but remained intellectually and civically active, mentoring young lawyers, commenting on national affairs, and speaking at various public platforms.
Mr Mda’s contributions extended beyond the courtroom. He served as a senior member of the advisory council (iPhakathi) of the Xhosa Royal House and played a critical role in the 1996 investigation into the authenticity of a skull believed to belong to King Hintsa, a claim later disproven by forensic analysis. In 2004, he was appointed to the Nhlapo Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims. UCT awarded him its prestigious President of Convocation Medal in recognition of his service to the public good in 2015.
In 2019, at the age of 96, he published his memoir Struggle and Hope: “Reflections on the recent history of the Transkeian People,” which remains an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the socio-political complexities of the Eastern Cape and South Africa more broadly. At its launch, he offered a sobering message to the youth:“There’s so much that needs to be done in South Africa because of the legacy of the past. It behoves us to clean up the Augean stables of apartheid. It’s a heavy burden for this generation. Everything is upside down.”
Even with his extensive achievements, he has remained deeply rooted in his heritage, passionate about the amaTolo and ooRhadebe families, the isiXhosa language, and Xhosa history. But his deepest unresolved concern remains the question of land. For him, the continued dispossession of African people is not just unfinished business, it’s a moral crisis.
Commenting on the honorary doctorate, Mr Mda said: “I was surprised when the University reached out to me. I initially asked myself: who am I to deserve such great honour? I am truly lost for words.”
Today, in front of a new generation of graduates, his children and grandchildren, the man, once surprised to be called “Mr,” graciously and humbly accepted the title of “Doctor.”
“I feel both humbled and at the same time gratified that this accolade comes from my beloved Alma Mater. The three years I spent here are hugely responsible for making me the person I am. This University has come a long way from having just 200 students during my time, I wish it continued growth.”