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Dr Donato Francesco “Don” Mattera, one of South Africa’s greatest literary figures, a fearless anti-apartheid activist and an unforgettable “compassionate warrior”, will be specially honoured this Mandela Day.
The Apartheid Museum, in partnership with the Don Mattera Legacy Foundation, will unveil the Don Mattera Obituary Installation on July 18 — the fourth anniversary of Mattera’s passing at the age of 85 in 2022. The date also marks Nelson Mandela’s birthday and the global day on which people pay tribute to his legacy, most commonly by dedicating 67 minutes to a worthy cause.
Affectionately known as “Bra Don”, Mattera’s journey from the streets of Sophiatown to the global stage transformed him into a vital voice for the marginalised. He showed a fractured nation that language could heal, unite and inspire change.
He became a towering figure in South African literature, journalism and cultural life, with a voice that captured both the pain and resilience of a nation under apartheid. He was also known as Zinga and Monnapula — “the man who came with the rain” — and later, after embracing Islam, as Muhammad Omaruddin.
As a poet, journalist, activist, husband and father, he used language as an act of resistance, chronicling the everyday lives of black South Africans with lyricism, anger and compassion
Celebrated as South Africa’s Bard of Liberation, Mattera’s heritage reflected the country’s rich diversity before apartheid. His Afro-Italian roots — Khoi-Xhosa, Tswana and Neapolitan — defied simple definition, even as apartheid sought to reduce that complexity to a racial classification and a number.
Raised in Sophiatown, Mattera survived gang life, prison and profound personal loss before finding refuge in words. When his family was forcibly removed and Sophiatown bulldozed under the Group Areas Act, he discovered his true calling.
Influenced by Pan-Africanism and Black Consciousness, Mattera believed culture was a weapon of liberation. As a poet, journalist, activist, husband and father, he used language as an act of resistance, chronicling the everyday lives of black South Africans with lyricism, anger and compassion.
His autobiography, Memory is the Weapon, remains a seminal account of life under apartheid and the power of personal and collective memory. His haunting poem, The Day They Came for Our House, became a lasting act of resistance against forced amnesia, ensuring the vibrant culture and deep pain of his community would never be forgotten.
One of the most remarkable chapters of Mattera’s life was his personal transformation. As a young man he led the notorious Vultures street gang, but he rebuilt his life to become a passionate humanitarian and mentor to young people in Eldorado Park, Westbury and Soweto. For decades he used rhythm, poetry and storytelling to steer young people away from crime, while inspiring generations of journalists, artists and activists to embrace their identities with pride.
He co-founded the Union of Black Journalists and the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW), confronting censorship despite enduring house arrest and multiple banning orders over nearly nine years.
When Bra Don died on Mandela Day in 2022, South Africa lost one of its most powerful voices. His legacy, however, lives on through his writing, his family, the Don Mattera Legacy Foundation and the generations he inspired.
The Don Mattera Obituary Installation opens on Mandela Day, July 18, and will remain on display at the Apartheid Museum until the end of 2027.
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