Rev Hooper: man of the cloth with a 'Double Agenda'

HE INVITED trouble to himself by being involved in the Struggle against the oppressors who were his colour in favour of those oppressed and from another racial group.

- THEMBILE NDABENI

Be that as it may, he was resolved not to retreat but to go forward. Reverend Charles Hooper was prepared to get “rewards” from the state. This was during the dark days of the apartheid system where anything could be done to anyone for opposing/challenging it.

The Struggle he was involved in was won, the apartheid regime he fought against is gone. The democratic government took over. It honoured him, which is good, but what about the community he served? Does it not feel overlooked when seeing the government or other people honouring someone who served them? Writers have a duty too, because these are the people who are not widely known and honoured despite the role they played.

Rev Hooper was one of those “troublesome” priests. This was based on understanding the plight of the poor and supporting their Struggle. He wrote a book, Brief Authority, which is an account of a rebellion that took place in Mario district around Zeerust against the government policies that were affecting them in the 1950s.